The Divergent Path
by Frostycookies
Summary: After a chance meeting, Naruto gained the one thing he yearned for. A family. How will this affect our favorite knucklehead ninja? Armed with his new precious people, Naruto will reach his ultimate goal: becoming Hokage. This is the story of a different Naruto and his journey throughout the shinobi world. Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Warning : Au and there is an Oc.
1. Prologue

Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to the series.

* * *

"I hate this stupid village!" the eleven year old shouted at the top of his lungs as he punched one of the trees with his bare fists. He winced as the bark shredded his skin, but he refused to cry as the pain assaulted him. He nursed his bleeding knuckles and sat down, watching as the sun began to sink in the horizon. He had finally found a place where those villagers couldn't find him, and for the first time in his short life, no one glared at him. The one reason he didn't like to be alone was because that meant he would think and when he thought, only bad things would filter in his mind. Thoughts about his life, the treatment he received, and how alone he felt. A cold rush of wind blew through the forest, and he shivered a little. The sounds of birds lulled him to sleep, and as he closed his eyes, he thought about how different it would be if his life could be peaceful like this all the time.

* * *

Riku placed his hands behind his back as he walked down the streets of Konoha. He had just moved to the peaceful village, though he knew that beneath its supposed façade, there was danger lurking behind the corner. His seventy years in the Elemental Nations taught him that lesson, and sometimes he learned it the hard way. He had pure white hair that was in a braid that went down his back, wore a grey kimono styled shirt with black pants. Though he was old, he walked without the aid of a cane, something he was rather proud of. As his geta sandals clacked against the dirt, he decided to walk away from the busy streets. He enjoyed the soft colours that sunset brought, and as he looked up at the blue sky, he smiled wistfully. His wife would've loved the village. As he made his way towards the forest that encased the village, he stopped as he saw a little boy, no older than eleven, lying under a large tree. "Shouldn't he be home with his parents?" he asked himself as he walked closer to the boy. However when he saw wild blonde hair and whisker marks, he knew exactly who the boy was. A frown marred his wrinkled face. He had seen how the other villagers treated the boy, and frankly, he wasn't pleased with them. From what he deduced, the boy had the Kyuubi sealed into him, and the stupid people thought he was the demon fox that attacked the village years ago. He shook his head in distaste and kicked the boy a little on his foot to wake him up. He noticed how the boy tensed when he saw him, and how he went on the defense. "You shouldn't be lying there, gaki. You'll get the cold" he said and the boy eyed him suspiciously.

"Ah. Okay" he replied and moved to get up, when Riku noticed his knuckles. Riku grabbed his hands, and Naruto pulled away.

"Just what were you doing out here, gaki?" he asked with concern in his voice. Naruto looked away but didn't respond. Riku ripped his shirt, something that made the boy's eyes widen. He was going to take the boy's knuckles into his once more, but Naruto shied away. "Come on gaki. I'm just going to treat you, that's it" he added and forcefully took the boy's hand.

"Why?" Naruto whispered and Riku almost didn't hear him. When Riku didn't respond, Naruto shouted his question again, only to receive a bop on the head. "That hurt old geezer!" he added and that brought a smile to Riku's face.

"Shut up gaki and wait until I'm finished" he said and focused on his task at hand. When he was finished, he sat down beside Naruto who scooted away from him. "You remind me of my son" he added and Naruto didn't look at him. "He's dead if you're wondering" he added and Naruto turned to him.

"What?!" he asked, almost shouted at the casual way the old man said something so sad. "What happened to him?" he added. He had recognized the old man as the new dango shop holder that just moved to Konoha.

"He died when he was just thirteen years old from an incurable disease" Riku replied as he watched the fluffy white clouds. Naruto looked at his bandaged hands with a frown on his face. "He was just as noisy as you are" he added and Naruto's couldn't help the smile on his face.

"So that means he was just as awesome as I am!" Naruto declared and Riku couldn't help but chuckle at the boy's antics.

"Yes, you could say that" Riku said, folding his hands on his lap. "He loved to pull pranks too" he added.

"Wow, he sounds just like me" Naruto murmured and Riku nodded. "I think that your son was great, old man" he added, with a strangely, soft tone.

"He would've wanted to meet you, young Uzumaki" Riku said as he sighed at the pinkish sky. "He loved it when others joined him in pulling his pranks and you seem like the perfect person" he added.

"What was his name, old man?" Naruto asked and Riku ruffled his hair. He watched how the young blonde flinched at the contact and just retracted his hand.

"His name was Hikaru" Riku said and Naruto raised an eyebrow. "I think it's time for you to go home, youngling" he added and Naruto pouted.

"I hate going to that village" Naruto confessed and Riku studied the boy in front of him. It was so heartbreaking to see such a young boy to feel that way, Riku thought.

"Well then, come on" Riku said as he got up. Naruto looked at him with uncertainty in his eyes. "Since I just opened up my store, I have yet to receive a customer. I think that you should be the first, and for that, the first dango is free" he added.

"Ano, old man, I don't really like dango. I think ramen's better" Naruto said and that earned him a bop on the head. "What was that for?" he shouted and got to his feet.

"That's for saying something silly" Riku replied as he walked away. He couldn't help the smile on his face as Naruto started to rant about how ramen was the food of the Gods. "Oh, shut up, gaki" he added, and Naruto just smiled at the man, happy that someone didn't hate him for something beyond his comprehension.

"Ya know something, old man. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship" Naruto said and Riku threw his head back before he started to laugh.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter one – A little happiness

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to the series.

* * *

Naruto watched as the old man disappeared in the back so he could prepare some tea to go with the dango. As he sat on the only chair that was set up in the store, he looked around the place that was caked with dust and cobwebs. "It's been awhile since anyone has been here" Riku said as he walked back in with a large tray. Naruto just nodded as he placed the thing down on the rickety table. "I was planning to clean up tomorrow" he added as he poured the green tea in a cup.

"Would it be alright if I came to help you?" Naruto asked, albeit a little meekly. Riku raised an eyebrow and just nodded.

"Sure, the more the merrier" Riku said as Naruto picked up one of the dango on a stick. He watched as Naruto plopped the thing in his mouth, and asked "So, how is it?"

"Good" Naruto honestly replied and Riku smiled at him. "Where did you come from?" he asked as they ate.

"In a civilian village outside of Water country" Riku said and Naruto went wide eyed. "What's with that reaction, gaki?" he asked.

"What is it like out there?" Naruto asked, glancing at the window. Darkness had already cloaked the village. "I've never been outside of Konoha" he added.

"Each village out there is different. The reason I left Water country was because, there was a civil war going on in Mist and soon enough, not even our village was safe anymore" Riku said.

"What's a civil war?" Naruto asked as he blew on his cup of tea to cool it down just like the old man Hokage taught him.

"It's a horrible thing, Naruto. The Mizukage, the leader had ordered that everyone with a bloodline to be executed" Riku said with a frown. "Before you ask about what a bloodline is, it's a special trait that belongs to certain clans, like how your Shodai had the Mokuton" he added and finally, the boy understood the severity of the situation.

"Why would he do that?" Naruto mumbled, confused with the man's actions. From what the teachers taught them, the Mokuton was what made the Shodai so powerful.

"No one knows. It's a massacre in the village. Currently, people are trying to escape what's going on there, but that doesn't mean that some succeeded. A lot of blood was shed in that village. That's why I said each village is different, Naruto. Unlike Mist, Konoha is peaceful" Riku said.

"I always thought that if I traveled outside of Konoha, that it would be different. I didn't know that it was so horrible outside there" Naruto confessed and Riku patted his head.

"Let me tell you something, Naruto. If you think you have it bad, there's always someone who has it worse" Riku said and Naruto scowled.

"How can anyone have it worse?! I've been hated all my life, and I didn't even know why!" the tiny boy shouted with a red face. Tears began to gather in his eyes as he defiantly stared at Riku who gave him a pitied look. Instead of saying anything, Riku pulled the boy into a hug, something he didn't resist. After awhile, Naruto sobbed on his chest, crying out his years of hurt. He couldn't understand how anyone would want to hurt something as pure as the little blonde boy in his arms. He was really just like Hikaru, he mused.

* * *

The next day, as Riku opened up all the windows and doors, an old woman made her way towards him. "Riku-kun, good morning" she chirped and placed the basket of baked goods in his hands. He frowned because he already knew why she came so early to his store. "So how do you like Konoha so far?" she asked as Riku placed the basket on the counter.

"Good. Why are you here so early, Mrs. Takimoto?" he asked and she just raised her nose in the air a little at the dust that accumulated. She was pudgy woman with grayish white hair, who wore a flowered purple dress. She was one of the dress owners down the streets, and one of the gossipers that he hated with a passion.

"I heard that you had THAT boy in your store yesterday, Riku-kun" she said and he sighed. "Since you're new around here, let me give you a little advice" she added but was stopped when Riku shook his head at her.

"Get out" he said and she gasped. "Don't ever come back if that's what you have to say about Naruto and you can spread the word. I hate ignorant people like you the most" he added and with a look of distaste, she walked out. He smiled at Naruto as he ran towards him.

"Old man!" he shouted and fell on his face, before he even made it towards Riku. He frowned and picked himself up.

"I told you to be careful, Naruto" Riku said but Naruto ignored him, in favor of pushing his way into the store.

"Let's get this show on the road!" Naruto shouted and Riku chuckled at the enthusiasm. He took up one of the brooms and placed it into his tiny hands that had already healed. He also gave him a mask to cover his face from the dust. Just as he was going to hit one of the cobwebs, a spider fell on his head, and Naruto shrieked. Riku chuckled as the boy wailed about, trying to get the thing off of him. He sighed and took out the spider and watched Naruto who had a sheepish look on his face.

"One step at a time, gaki" Riku said and Naruto nodded before following his lead.

* * *

Around mid day, they stopped working, and sat down to have a few slices of watermelon outside. Naruto kicked his feet to and fro, as he bit into the red fruit. He wiped a bit of sweat from his clothed forehead, something that he did so that no more spiders would get into his hair. Riku sat beside him, as they stared at the blazing street before them. Unlike before, Naruto actually felt happy, something he didn't feel in a long time. He glanced at the man who accepted him, and Riku grinned at him, with a mouth filled with seeds. Naruto laughed and Riku chuckled. "I think that everything's coming along great" Riku said, and glanced behind him. The store was cleaner than before. "Thank you, Naruto" he added and Naruto's eyes widened.

"You're welcome" he whispered and Riku patted his head. "Ano, old man, I think that even though dango isn't as great as ramen, it's good so I think that I might, maybe, keep coming back here" he added and stared at the ground.

"Sure" Riku said, and Naruto grinned at him. "So normally, don't you have school or something?" he asked as they continued to eat.

"The teachers hate me just like everyone else, so I just skip" Naruto said and Riku pinched his ear. "Ow, what was that for?!" he yelped.

"If I had known that you were skipping school just to help me….." he was saying but stopped. He sighed and then said "Can't help today, but tomorrow you're going to school". He bopped Naruto on the head as soon as he began to whine.

"I don't wanna" he mumbled and wiped his mouth. Riku gave him a napkin and a bottle of water.

"My mom always told me, if you don't like the situation you're faced with, change it" Riku said.

"Wow, you had a mom? I thought that you were so old that wasn't even possible" Naruto said and that earned him another bop.

"Everyone has or had a mom, gaki" Riku said and Naruto fell silent. "And before you say it, even you had a mom" he added and Naruto glanced at him but didn't say anything. "As I was saying, if you don't like the way they're treating you, change it" he said and Naruto frowned.

"How can I change it? Don't you think I've tried?" he asked, and Riku patted his head once more.

"Then you didn't try hard enough. Listen Naruto; if you want anything in life, you have to earn it the hard way. That is through sweat, tears and sometimes blood" Riku said and he watched the flash of emotions that swept through the young boy's face. He knew that the boy was just eleven years old, and that wasn't something you should tell someone his age, but unlike the kids his age, the boy was different. At first glance you would assume that Uzumaki Naruto was an idiot, but that was wrong. The boy was complex as can be and despite his quirks, he was mature in a way. He knew that the boy understood what he meant. "Stop skipping, pay attention in class, and make sure that those teachers don't ignore you. I'm not telling you to make a fool of yourself, or anything like that" he added and allowed his words to sink into the young boy's head. After a while, he asked "Do you have a dream, Naruto?"

"Of course I have a dream. I want to become Hokage!" he announced and some of the people passing by, turned up their noses at him.

"Why?" Riku asked and Naruto looked at like he didn't understand what the hell he meant. "Why do you want to become Hokage if you hate the village?" he added and Naruto grew shame faced. He sat back down and looked over the village.

"It was a year ago" Naruto said, and Riku noticed the far away glint in the younger boy's eyes. "I had gotten into a fight with this kid, when his mother came up to me and started to shout at me" he added, and fidgeted in his seat. Riku nodded for him to continue. "She said some hurtful things, ya know?" he added as his hands curled into fists. "When I looked around, no one wanted to stop or help me. They were nodding their heads like I deserved everything she said" he said, and Riku frowned. "But just then, the old man Hokage arrived, and saved me. He's the few people that like me around here. As we walked down the street, I noticed the stares he was receiving. It was so different from the way they would stare at me. It was filled with such admiration, respect and love. Then I understood why. He was the Hokage, the man they looked up to, so I thought that if I wore his hat I could be loved too, ya know?" he said, and Riku looked out at the village. They sat in a comfortable silence, each man to their own thoughts, well, boy in Naruto's case, when Riku turned to him.

"Do you know what it means to become Hokage, Naruto?" He asked and Naruto looked at him. "To be a leader, not just a Hokage, means that person is responsible for every life in the village, including mine and yours. He's the leader that carves the path for all of us to follow. A Hokage has to be patient, just, wise, humble and strong because he shoulders every person's dreams, hopes and future. He's the person that stands up when everyone's to afraid to take a stand, he's the person that chooses to stay when everyone goes, and he's the one that has to make the hard decisions that no one else wants to make" he added as Naruto absorbed his words. "Do you think you can be that for the very village you hate?" he asked.

"It's like you said, old man. If I don't like my situation, I can change it, and for me, that means becoming Hokage. So even though I may not like the way they treat me, I don't exactly hate them like they hate me. If I'm honest, I hate the treatment, not the people. Despite everything I think I still want to become Hokage" Naruto replied and Riku smirked. The kid was smart; he mused and ruffled his hair.

"Good answer, gaki. Now let's get back to work" Riku said and Naruto nodded.

* * *

Without bothering with the jacket of his infamous orange jumpsuit, he walked out his apartment. He locked his door, and walked down the stairs, where surprisingly, he met Riku. "Old man!" he shouted and Riku smirked before handing him a bento. Naruto froze as the thing lay in his hands. "What's this?" he asked, looking at the thing like it was another one of his tests that the teachers gave him.

"It's a lunch. As a thanks for helping me out yesterday. 'Sides, I thought that I would see you off to school today, so that I can make sure you make it in the class" he said, and a broad grin etched on his face.

"Thanks" he said, a little softer than before. Riku patted his head as they walked down the street together. Naruto curiously looked at the surprised looks on the villager's face and chuckled. "You know, they're going to have heart attacks if you keep up with this" he commented and Riku laughed.

"Let them. I like hanging out with you, gaki. You remind me of Hikaru and that's a good thing" Riku said, placing his hands behind his back.

"How's the shop coming along?" he asked, and Riku nodded. They basked in each other's silence as they made their way to the Academy. Some of the parents went slack jawed at the duo but they didn't even bother with the added attention. "See ya later, old man" he added before walking off.

"Make sure to learn something in that empty head of yours, gaki" Riku said and Naruto turned around, only to stick his tongue at him. Riku raised his hand and Naruto scampered away. He chuckled and turned around before heading off to his shop once more.

* * *

When Naruto entered his classroom, he looked around, only to see that some students were already seated, especially one Uchiha Sasuke. Just thinking about the snobbish boy left a bad taste in his mouth. The raven haired kid sat in the middle of the room, with a superior aura around him. The old Naruto would've called out the boy, but yesterday, after his little talk with the old man, he silently declared that he would change. He took a deep breath and made it to a seat in the back. No one had even registered the change in him, and somehow, he felt a little sad. He shrugged and looked out the window. He touched the bento on his lap, and a smiled appeared on his face. He didn't even bother when Sakura and Ino ran in the room, shouting to sit next to Sasuke. He was too focused on the warm, fuzzy feeling in the pit of his stomach. For the first time, the universe didn't conspire against him and he was allowed a sliver of happiness in the form of that old man, Riku. Determination lit his eyes and he declared silently "Uzumaki Naruto was going to become the Hokage and he was going to change the villagers, believe it!" And unlike before, there was a different conviction in his mind and his heart. Unknown to the blonde haired boy and the village, it would shape the future.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter two – As time passed

Author's note: Before you read this chapter, I think I should warn you. There's a time skip. Before you roll your eyes and throw your hands in the air in complaint, let me just say, stop. I did this only because it's detrimental to my story and I'm sorry to you people who hate time skips especially so early in the story. I hope that doesn't deter you from reading because I have to say, I enjoyed writing this and I think that maybe, you'll enjoy reading it. Oh, In addition, I'm not really good with fight scenes so if it's not up to par, I'm sorry. I'm welcome to open criticism and suggestions. Enjoy.

Frostycookies

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to the series.

* * *

A YEAR LATER

Naruto rushed into the dango store, huffing and puffing before he stopped in front of Riku who folded his arms across his chest. Unlike a year ago, Naruto wore a bandana over his wild, blonde locks that were a little longer than before, and he wasn't wearing his infamous jumpsuit. Instead, he wore black shinobi pants with red lines running down the side and a red hoodie with the red Uzumaki swirl on the back. "So care to tell me why you're so late for work, gaki?" Riku asked and Naruto nervously laughed.

"Ah, well, you see, old man Teuchi saw me on my way over here and he wanted to know why I wasn't spending time at the ramen stand, so I had to talk to him, and well, here I am" Naruto explained. Some of the regulars chuckled at the boy as he pleaded with Riku who wasn't perturbed. "Come on, old man. I love ramen and dango now! I don't see why you two are feuding!" he added.

"I'm cutting your pay for this morning" Riku announced and Naruto gaped like a fish out of water.

"Come on!" he shouted and followed after Riku who walked to the back. Ami, the other worker there, smiled at the duo. The twenty five year old pulled Naruto away and handed him an apron. Ami was Riku's niece who moved to Konoha after a few months after Riku did so she could help her Uncle. She had grown to like Naruto just like Riku, because she was reminded of her cousin in the boy. Her reddish brown hair was pulled in a bun, with a few strands falling to her face. She had a few freckles on her nose that she was particular about.

"You're here to work and not grovel, Naruto-kun" Ami said and he just nodded. "And Uncle Riku, cut the boy some slack" she added and Riku grumbled.

"Yes madam!" Naruto said with a salute before walking back outside. Ami shook her head and looked at her Uncle. She kissed his cheek and walked out after Naruto. She watched as he interacted with everyone, and it brought a smile to her face. The boy was charming for one, and he was the strongest kid she had ever seen. She was proud of Naruto after what she heard he had been through.

"He's a great kid, right?" Riku asked, standing beside her as they watched him. "Hitomi-chan would've loved him" he added and she nodded. Her aunt would have really loved him, if she was alive. He looked at them and stuck out his tongue childishly. Riku raised his hand threateningly and Naruto just laughed. Somehow throughout the year at Konoha, he had unofficially adopted the boy as his own. Naruto ate all his meals at the store, most of the times he slept over and hell, Naruto saw Ami as well as Riku as his family. Throughout the year, Naruto had changed and for the better. He no longer skipped any of his classes despite whatever the teachers threw at him, he paid more attention, and he had even managed to change some of the villagers including the scarred teacher, Umino Iruka. His life was relatively better and he thanked the heavens for Riku as well as Ami. He gave the orders to Riku who bopped him on the head.

"What was that for?!" he asked and Riku just smirked before heading to the kitchen. He turned to Ami who shrugged her shoulders. "Do you people love to hit me or something?" he asked and she patted his cheek affectionately.

"You have another customer, in fact, she's your favorite one by far" she said and he paled at the purple haired kunoichi that stomped in the store like she owned it. He gulped and latched onto Ami.

"Please, please, please, please, don't let me go to her" he begged and Ami had to admit, the boy could beg. She shook her head and he frowned before pulling away. They watched as the purple haired woman slumped down on an empty chair, and her trench coat opened up a little, to reveal the mesh shirt underneath. Nearly everyone blushed when they realized that she wasn't wearing anything under the mesh shirt. She propped up her legs so that the mini skirt she wore revealed more of her long, creamy legs. She flicked some of her hair out of her face, and smirked at the lecherous stares she received. "Do you see that? " he whispered in her ear, but Ami just pushed him away.

"Work" she commanded and Naruto frowned before heading towards Anko. Ami snickered to herself while Naruto gulped. Anko turned to him, and her smirk turned malicious. He swore in his mind and took out his note pad.

"Hello and welcome" he said and when she flicked her wrist, a kunai appeared in her hand. She licked the blade and he rolled his eyes.

"Good to see ya again, gaki. It's been awhile, ne?" she asked and Naruto noticed some of the cuts on her hands.

"You were out on a mission, huh?" he asked, and she blinked at him. Usually, the kid would either avoid her or just be all business and that's why she liked to scare him so much.

"Yeah, I was" she said, putting the kunai away. "Five servings of dango if you will, brat" she added and took out her money. He nodded, took the money and walked away. She was a little surprised at first when she recognized him as the vessel of the Kyuubi. She was expecting to see either a brooding prissy like the last Uchiha or either some attention seeking kid, but instead, she met a slightly energetic kid that was mature for his age. For some time, his smile sickened her, along with the happiness he radiated. Wasn't this kid hated by everyone, she would think as he interacted with the store owner and his niece. However after while, and with some snooping, she realized that the kid had established strong bonds with the old man and girl. Then she came to a startling epiphany, she didn't hate Uzumaki Naruto, she envied him. At first, she laughed at the thought but when she saw the old man dropping off the kid in front of the Academy, the realization slapped her across the face. She couldn't understand how someone in her position had overcome all the self loathing that came with being hated. She had left afterwards, and after that, she had come to like the kid because he was everything she wasn't. He overcame all obstacles in his life so far, and he seemed like the kind of kid that would pick himself up every time he fell. She liked the kid's spirit. She gazed out the window, ignoring everything else for the moment.

* * *

"She seems different" Naruto told Ami as they watched the woman who was looking out the window.

"Who looks different?" Riku asked, handing Naruto some of the orders. "Oh, my favorite customer, she's great, isn't she?" he added with a smile.

"Pervert" Ami and Naruto said in unison before they walked away, leaving the man with a smirk on his face.

* * *

After putting her servings on her table, he was going to walk away, when some men approached Anko. The purple haired woman just ate her dango, as Naruto paused. "Hey there" the leader said, and leaned on the table. Anko blankly stared at him, and it seemed to irk him. "My friends and I wanted someone to give us a tour of the village. Do you think you can?" he asked.

"Do I look like a tour guide?" Anko asked as she chewed her dango. Naruto chuckled and the man slammed his fists on the table. Clearly he was from out of town because he didn't hear of Anko and what she was capable of.

"Look, you whor-….." the man was saying when in one move, she had slapped his throat. He stopped talking, and grabbed his throat. He gasped for breath, and when she pulled out her headband, they paled. They ran out, leaving the man to flay on the ground. Naruto ran to the man and looked at Anko. She sighed and undid whatever it is she did. He got up without a word and ran out. She laughed at him as he fell before he was out of sight. Suddenly, she stopped laughing when the whispers started. Most about how it was her fault in the first place because of her attire. She clutched her fists and was about to shout at them, when she saw a napkin stretched out in front of her. She looked up only to see Naruto holding said napkin.

"You spilled tea on your shirt" he said, and the shock slipped off her face. The whispers retracted and she frowned at him. "You were pretty cool, ya know?" he said and a pink tinge appeared on her cheeks. "Unlike those girls in my class, you're a real kunoichi and I'm glad that Konoha has someone like you around to show them that" He added as she took the napkin.

"Thanks, gaki" she said and then smirked. "You're not a bad kid yourself" she added and he smiled at her.

* * *

At the end of the day found Naruto stretched like cat as he sat on the mat. Riku was doing a crossword, Ami was tending to some flowers in a vase and he was reading up something on Konoha's history for class. He was lying on his belly with the book in front of him. "How was class yesterday?" Riku asked placing the crossword on the table. Naruto folded his arms in front of him and placed his chin on it.

"It was good. We learnt about the Yondaime" he said and Riku could see how happy Naruto was. "He's my hero, old man" he added.

"Why?" Ami asked. Somehow Naruto was obsessed with everything that was Yondaime related.

"He's the sort of Hokage I want to be" Naruto confessed with a tinge on his cheeks. He was embarrassed and Ami chuckled. "That's not funny. He's one of the strongest Hokage and the dedication he had for Konoha, makes me want to be like him" he added and Riku patted his head.

"That's a great hero, you've got there, Naruto" Riku said and Naruto smiled. "So, I heard that your teacher wants to have another parent teacher conference" he added and Naruto pouted.

"I hate those things" Naruto whispered and Ami pinched his cheeks. He yelped and she laughed.

"We'll be there" Ami declared and Naruto arched an eyebrow. "What? Uncle Riku's not your only family, is he? I think we've already established that you're my kid brother" she added and he could see the blush on her face. He hugged her and Riku laughed as Ami failed about like a fish out of water, telling him to let go.

"Thank you" he softly said and they smiled at him.

* * *

Naruto woke up at the first signs of dawn and slowly changed. He walked out his apartment and slowly made his way to his secret training ground. Throughout the year, he had come upon a bitter realization: his taijutsu was well, crappy. Despite the fact that his classes were a little more bearable that before, some of the instructors with the exception of Iruka still refused to teach him. During taijutsu lessons in the Academy, he realized that some would even go out of their way to sabotage him but this new Naruto was not so naïve.

Therefore he took it upon himself to go to Iruka for the scrolls with the Academy's basic taijutsu stance. The scarred chunnin was happy to help him and for that, he thanked the man. After that, he trained himself with the help of the scrolls and slowly he started to fix the holes in his taijutsu form. He had even gotten the Sandaime to purchase some weights for him with his own allowance money and because of that; he was a little faster than before. He was determined to become Hokage and he knew that each step he took would get him closer to his goal.

For that reason he started to take his shinobi training seriously. He adjusted his diet with the help of Riku and Ami, since they were the ones who came up with the idea and he created a training regime. Every day, before work and school, he would train in taijutsu as well as his chakra control. That was another problem for him. After failing his second genin exam, he went to the old man for advice. He wanted to know why for the life of him, he couldn't make a decent bushin and he got the answer. He had too much chakra and piss poor control. So, as a compromise, the old man Hokage introduced him to a basic chakra control exercise so he could control his chakra to the point that he could create at least three clones for his next genin exam. It was his daily routine. He would train in one of Konoha's abandoned training grounds before heading off to school and then in the evening, he would work at the old man's dango store. He was going through his katas when he felt a shiver down his spine. He spun around but was too slow as Anko pressed herself against his back with a kunai poised at his throat. "What are you doing out here, gaki?" she asked before cackling. He frowned and she pulled away from him.

"Training" he said and she arched an eyebrow at him. "I'm trying to improve my taijutsu and chakra control" he added.

"Oho, so you're serious now, huh?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. "What about a little spar then?" she added and he tensed. "If you win, I'll help you with your training" she said with a smirk.

"And if I lose?" he asked and her smirk turned malicious. "I-I d-d-don't think so" he added and she chuckled.

"If you lose, you'll just become my slave" she said and he gulped. "I'm joking, gaki. Loosen up. If you lose, you'll just have to give me free dango for a year" she added and licked her lips at the aspect.

"Free dango? That's a year's salary!" he shouted with outrage. "That's worst than the slave thing" he mumbled.

"Are you sure?" she asked and torture images appeared in his mind. He shook his head and she said "I thought so".

"Before we do this, you have to promise that even if I lose, you'll help with my training" he said and she studied his face before throwing her head back with laughter. "T-t-that's n-n-not funny!" he shouted with a red face and she laughed harder.

"Y-y-you're hysterical, gaki" she said, wiping her eyes. Suddenly, all the humor on her face drained away and his hands grew clammy. She cracked her knuckles and grinned. "Let's have a go at it then" she announced before disappearing in a blur.

"Shit" he whispered to himself, barely dodging the roundhouse kick aimed at his head. He rolled on the ground and had to force the bile down on his throat as her hand created a crater as a result of his dodging her punch. She looked up, and he got to his feet. He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white and his body trembled as she leaked killing intent. He knew she was toying with him. Her speed, stamina and skills far surpassed his own. She got up and he gaped as she blurred once more. "Shit, shit, shit!" he shouted as his eyes roved over the training grounds, trying to locate her. He was so busy with trying to locate her that he failed to notice Anko behind him. When he felt her presence, his eyes grew wide. Time seemed to have stopped as he turned to her.

"You lose" she whispered and with that, he couldn't avoid the punch to his gut. He was propelled across the training grounds before crashing into a tree. Blood spewed from his mouth as three of his ribs broke under the pressure. She watched as he slumped against the tree with impassive eyes. "What was that? I thought you said you wanted to become Hokage?" she asked, clearly goading him. "You didn't even put up a decent fight!" she shouted, and he slowly struggled to his feet. "Were they all lies?!" she asked and he spat blood on the ground.

"Shut up!" he shouted and dashed towards her. However, using her right foot, she kicked the back of his knees, causing him to buckle from the force. In an instant, he was on his knees, and with that, she brought her right hand and slammed it against his face. Blood spurted from his nose, and tears stung at the corner of his eyes. She stepped away as he fell the ground face first. Pain traveled from his broken nose, to the tips of his hair then trailed down to his entire body.

"Looks like your little talk about Hokage was a load of bullshit" she spat and anger swelled in his chest. "Pathetic" she added and turned to walk away. Naruto slowly stood up, wobbling as his vision blurred. He channeled the last of his rage, and shot towards her. She had already turned when he stood up so she saw his oncoming attack. As he got close to her with his fist cocked back, she took a step backwards and used her right elbow to parry his punch. Using the momentum, she pivoted, grabbed his wrist before she striked his elbow, causing him to lurch forward. Before she knocked him out, he barely heard her whisper "You're years too early to defeat me "and with that, he welcomed the blackness.

* * *

"Glad to see that you're finally awake" Anko said as Naruto groaned. He opened his eyes only to see Anko causally sitting under the shade of a tree, eating dango. He flexed his muscles that protested in pain.

"You knocked me out!" he said in a raspy voice. She smiled and slowly chewed. "You knocked me out!" he shouted when he didn't get any sort of reaction from her.

"It was a spar, suck it up" Anko said and Naruto grumbled as he stretched his limbs. "I did some thinking while you were knocked out" she said, and he barely caught the water she threw him. "I've decided to make you my little bitch" she exclaimed and his mouth dropped open.

"What?!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet. "Y-Y-Your what?" he asked and then covered his body. "I didn't know you were a pedophile?!" he shouted and she just frowned at him, clearly not amused.

"Did I mean bitch, I meant to say student" she said, cleaning her teeth with the dango stick. "From today on, you Uzumaki Naruto will become my student" she announced and he knew that he was doomed.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter three – The few people who care

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to the series.

* * *

Riku was intrigued at the sight of his young ward as he was dumped unceremoniously in his store. Anko, the one who had done the said dumping smirked at him before sauntering to her usual spot. "Old man, help me!" Naruto wheezed from his spot on the ground. He had told Riku about his training with Anko so he was not surprised when he saw the boy as charred as a roasted pig. "She's killing me!" he spat out as he tried to calm his frantic heart.

"What did she do this time?" Riku asked, deciding to humor the boy. Some of the customers had grown so accustomed to the many eccentricities of the store that they didn't even bother when the scent of burnt flesh flittered into the air. In addition, they were mostly shinobi so it was another thing they were accustomed with.

"S-she chased me around the village and every time I slowed down even for a bit, she fired a Katon jutsu at me" he spluttered and Ami had soon joined the little gathering. It had been only a week, and Anko tried to kill him forty times already. Yeah, he had counted.

"Anko-san's dango is not free, Naruto. Get your butt up and start to work" Ami said, placing her hands on her hips. Riku chuckled as Naruto wheezed once more.

"You're heartless, Ami-chan!" Naruto groaned as he slowly got up. "I thought you said we were siblings?" he asked, and she just pointed at the back.

"Get cleaned up and then start working!" she barked and he nodded before running to the bathroom.

"Was that really necessary?" Riku asked and he could see the worry in her eyes. "He'll be fine. That's just the way of the shinobi I guess" he said.

"It is indeed" someone agreed and when they turned to the entrance, standing in the doorway was none other than the Sandaime Hokage. All the shinobi present stood at attention before deeply bowing at the aged man dressed in his formal, white robes and hat. He took out the pipe from his mouth and said "At ease everyone, I'm just here for dango". He chuckled at their stunned faces before turning to Riku and Ami who bowed their heads in respect. "It's nice to meet you again" he added and they personally walked him to his seat.

"You too, Hokage-sama" Riku said, more at ease in the powerful man's presence compared to his nervous niece. "He's in the back" he added as the Hokage's eyes roved over the store.

"Ah, I heard about his training" the Hokage said and he smiled at Anko who grinned back at him. "Anko-chan's an excellent teacher if I must say so myself" he added.

"That's a lie if I ever heard one, jiji" Naruto said, as he approached them. The Hokage didn't say anything but just took in his appearance. It had been nearly three weeks since the boy had visited him in the tower and he had to admit, he always missed the boy. He was like a grandson to him and so, he was constantly worrying about him. He sat down opposite from the Sandaime who chuckled at his non chalence and lack of respect. "She's a slave driver" he whispered to the Sandaime.

"Oi, what was that?!" Anko shouted and twisted his ear. He yelped and his eyes pleadingly turned to the Sandaime once more. "Do you hear how ungrateful this gaki is? Here I am bestowing my beautiful knowledge onto him and he says that I'm a slave driver" she huffed and the Sandaime shook his head as the two started to argue.

"I don't think you should be arguing with your sensei, Naruto" Ami chided and Anko shot him a condescending smile while Naruto looked at her with betrayal in his eyes. "And you're supposed to be working" she added.

"He's excused, Ami-chan. Can't you see that he's with an important customer?" Riku asked and she grew shame faced at the Hokage. "Anko-chan is very dear to our hearts and she deserves the best treatment" he said and a frown marred her face. Anko wildly cackled and the Sandaime couldn't help the smile that graced his lips.

"Pervert!" Naruto and Ami shouted in unison. Riku just shook his head and waved off their insult.

"You, it's time to work" Ami said, pointing to Naruto whose shoulders slumped. "Take Hokage-sama's orders and Uncle Riku, you're helping me in the kitchen" she said and with that, they walked to the kitchen.

"I can see why you said she's strong, Naruto-kun" the Hokage said and Naruto sheepishly smiled. He glanced at Anko and asked "Don't you have to get back at T&I?" She nervously chuckled before leaving. "Have a seat, Naruto-kun. I want to speak to you for a moment" he added and Naruto did as he was told. The Sandaime puffed on his pipe and studied the boy in front of him. Unlike before, Naruto was happier. Anyone could watch his face and tell, but Sandaime knew the full extent of his happiness. The Sandaime was the one who often sat with Naruto when he was sad, he was the shoulder Naruto cried on when he could no longer handle the shouts of demon hurled at him and the Sandaime was the only one allowed to see the flicker of Naruto's true self. Therefore the Hokage knew exactly how Riku and Ami affected his life. He was no longer sad all the times, he didn't need the old man's shoulder to cry on since Riku was always there to pick him up when he was feeling down and the dango shop owner had already accepted Naruto, despite his faults. "Teuchi-san has said that you don't visit him as frequently and he's not the only one" he said, taking out the pipe from his mouth. Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck.

"I've been busy with training, school and work. Sorry jiji" Naruto said and the Hokage just nodded. "I'll try to visit you more" he added and the Hokage patted his head.

"I'm glad that you've found more precious people, Naruto-kun" he said and Naruto's smiled. It wasn't like his forced smiles that he often slapped on in front of the villagers or his classmates; it was a true smile that he only allowed his precious people to see. "Are you happy?" he asked and Naruto's eyes softened at the question before flickering to Riku as well as Ami.

"More than I've been in my life, jiji" Naruto said and the Hokage placed his hand on his clasped ones. "I'm so happy that sometimes I wake up and think that I'm dreaming. Then, I start to get scared at the thought and before I know it, I'm standing in front of the dango store to make sure it's real. To make sure that Riku and Ami are real" he confessed and the Hokage knew why he was so insecure. The world had been such a cruel place for Naruto since his birth.

"You know those people love you as much as I do" the Hokage said and Naruto looked at him with his eyes filled with unshed tears. "I can see how much they love you from the way they look at you. It's something only a parent can see" he added and Naruto quickly wiped his eyes with the back of his hands. "That's why I'm not mad that you're spending your time with them, Naruto-kun. I'm just happy that you can turn to love when you're going through such hurdles in your life" he said, and smiled at him.

"I know it's kind of late, but thanks for everything, jiji" he said and the Hokage chuckled. His surrogate grandson never failed to surprise him, after all he was unpredictable. "I'm supposed to working and here you are, getting me all sentimental, dattebayo!" he stated, clearly embarrassed since his verbal tick had slipped out of his mouth.

"Then off with you. Don't let this old man get in your way" the Sandaime said, watching as he walked off to other customers.

"He's going to be great one day; you do know that, right?" Riku asked and the Sandaime turned to him. "He's got a heart like no one else does" he elaborated as he sat down with a bottle of sake and two cups. He poured them each a glass and they both gulped it down.

"I know that's why I'm forever in your debt for healing him" the Sandaime said as Riku poured them another glass.

"Do you ever plan to tell him?"Riku asked and the Sandaime didn't allow a single emotion to appear on his face. "If he finds out some other way, he's going to feel betrayed. Trust me, they always do" he added as he gulped down his glass of sake once more.

"When the time's right, I'll personally tell him" the Sandaime said sipping his cup of sake. "This is some good sake by the way" he added and Riku smirked at him.

"Of course it is. Only the best for the best" Riku said and the Sandaime just shook his head. "It's been awhile since we sat down like this, Saturobi" he added.

"I've been swamped with paperwork so forgive me for not officially welcoming you to my village" the Sandaime said as they clinked their glasses together in a toast.

"I've known you for a long time to know when you're bullshitting me, Saturobi" Riku said and the Sandaime didn't reply. "What's really going on with you?" he asked.

"My wayward students have been on my mind for awhile" the Sandaime said, placing his cup on the table. "Especially Orochimaru" he added.

"I see. No wonder you're so down" Riku commented and the Sandaime nodded. "I've heard of his recent exploits and I have to say, he's going down an unredeemable path" he added.

"And that is what pains me, Riku. I've done all I could to save those students of mine but no matter what, I could never get through to Orochimaru" the Sandaime said, and for a minute, he truly felt his age.

"Let me tell you what Hitomi used to tell me. Every individual chooses his or her decisions and they're the ones who have to deal with the consequences" Riku said.

"I know but it still hurts a teacher when there's nothing they could do to stop their student. It especially hurts when nothing you've taught them have had an impact on their lives" he said and Riku sighed.

"Saturobi" Riku said and the Sandaime looked at him. "Instead of thinking about the one life you could have saved, think about the other lives that depend on you. This village still needs you" he added.

"You really do know what to say when you need to cheer me up" the Sandaime said and Riku just chuckled.

"What are old friends for?" Riku asked and they gulped down another glass of sake before the Sandaime stood up.

"Thanks for the drink, Riku" the man said and with that, he left the store, feeling better than when he entered.

* * *

As the sun slowly descended, it was the signal that another productive day had ended. Naruto bid the last customers goodbye before closing the front door. He turned to the now empty dango store and thoughts about his conversation with the Hokage entered his mind. Maybe he should go over to the ramen stand and pay Teuchi a visit, he thought. He slowly took off the white apron and that was when Ami walked in from the kitchen. "Can you help me with these?" she asked, holding up two cloths in her hands. He nodded and she threw him one. They began to wipe the tables in a comfortable silence until Ami broke it.

"Why do I get the feeling that something is wrong?" Ami asked, glancing at him. She had always observed that whenever Naruto was alone, he would have the saddest eyes that no child his age should have.

"I was thinking about what the Hokage told me today" he said, without looking at her. He was focused on the table instead.

"I see" she said and didn't pry any further. She knew he shared a special relationship with the aged leader. "Are you staying for dinner?" she asked and straightened up her back.

"Nah, I think I'll head over to old man Teuchi's for some ramen" Naruto said and that was when Riku emerged from the kitchen.

"What?! Why do you need ramen when you have dango?" he asked and at Ami's death glare, he laughed his previous statement off. "I mean that's good. Ramen is not as great as dango, but it's passable" he added with a shrug. Naruto smiled and took up his jacket.

"Thanks old man. I'll see you too later" he said and with that, they watched as he walked out the shop. Riku joined Ami's side and they stood in silence.

"We're not the only ones who care for him, Uncle Riku" she said and glanced at him. He placed his arms on her shoulders.

"I know" he said, and then looked at her. "When it comes to family, I tend to get selfish. I'm sorry" he said and she shook her head at him.

* * *

With his hands shoved deep in the front pockets of his hoodie, he walked down the streets of Konoha. With the hoodie over his head that was already covered with the bandana, he was almost invisible. As he approached the ramen stand, he watched as Teuchi laughed with some of his customers as he prepared their food. The entire aura was just like it was at Riku's dango store. "A miso, old man and make it quick" he said, sliding on one of the empty stools. He watched as Teuchi spun around, with a scowl on his usually jolly face.

"What do you think this is?!" he asked and when his eyes fell on Naruto's face, his anger dissipated in thin air. His face lit up before letting loose a loud peal of laughter. He reached over and gave him a brief hug. "It's been a long time, my boy" he said and patted his head. "Ayame, get out here! Naruto's here!" he shouted and at the mention of his name, the few civilians that were at the stand, glanced at him with disgust clearly written on their faces. Some even opted to leave when they realized it was him at the stand. Teuchi winced as they started to whisper and the word 'demon' reached their ears. He was so caught with his happiness of seeing Naruto that he didn't think about the consequences of announcing the boy's arrival. Naruto forced a reassuring smile at him but under the faint lights, it only came out broken. "I'm so sorry" Teuchi apologized but it couldn't stop the sickening feeling that crawled in his chest.

"Where is he?!" Ayame asked and when her eyes met Naruto's, she squealed in pure delight. "Naruto-kun!" She said and didn't even wait for Naruto to respond. She engulfed him in a hug.

"It's good to see you too" he said, causing her to pull away. She playfully punched his shoulder.

"Don't give me that! Where have you been?" she demanded. "Do you know how worried we were? "She chided and he rubbed his neck. "Well, I'm waiting" she said, folding her hands across her chest.

"I-I know but I'm here now" he said and he glanced at Teuchi was clearly amused by both his daughter as well as Naruto.

"Ayame, leave the boy alone. It's not like he abandoned the most delicious, scrumptious food for something like dango, right? Right Naruto?" he said and he watched as Naruto fidgeted on the stool.

"N-No!" Naruto said and Teuchi folded his arms across his chest just like Ayame had done a minute ago. "I was working" he added.

"See, Ayame. Naruto would never lie to us" Teuchi said though his eyes were on Naruto like a ninken was eying a steak.

"That's enough, Dad" Ayame said with a sigh at her father's antics. "We're just glad you're here now" she added and patted his hand in an affectionate way. One of the customers called her and she shot Naruto a smile. "Enjoy the ramen, Naruto" she said before moving to attend to the customer.

"Then I'll get you that miso you wanted!" Teuchi said and he tied an apron around his waist. "So, how have you been my boy?" he asked, washing his hands.

"Good. I'm going to school more" Naruto said and Teuchi nodded. "And I've stopped playing pranks" he added.

"Yes, I know. It's been a lot quieter around here now that the Hokage monument is no longer covered in paint" Teuchi said in a teasing tone. Naruto smiled.

"That was one of my finest works" Naruto joked and Teuchi laughed. "And I've stopped wearing orange" he added and Teuchi arched his eyebrow.

"I thought orange was your favorite color" Teuchi said and Naruto took off the hood from his head.

"It is, but let's face it, old man. It's not practical for a shinobi" Naruto said and for the first time, he realized just how much Naruto had matured.

"Naruto, since when were you practical?" Teuchi asked and Naruto laughed. "But I have to admit, you've changed, my boy" he added as he stirred the pot.

"You could say that I discovered what was important" Naruto said, and when Teuchi looked into his eyes, he was surprised at the determination that lurked in those azure orbs. "I decided to change so that people would start to take me seriously" he added and Teuchi smiled. Oh yes, Uzumaki Naruto had indeed changed.

"I'm pleased to hear that, my boy" Teuchi said before he threw a look at Naruto. "So, tell me everything that's happened in the last year" he said and he nearly chuckled as Naruto's beamed at him.

* * *

Author's notes: I know the chapter title is 'The few people who care' so some of you might be wondering why I didn't include Iruka. Well, it's because Naruto and Iruka's relationship hasn't developed to the one they have in canon as yet. In this fic, they're not that close as yet. I plan to make them be, so look out for that. I also deepened the relationship Naruto has with the Hokage. To all those action lovers out there, I'm working on the next chapter as it is and when it's finished, there will be action. Well, that's that.

Until next time,

Frostycookies.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter four – Days spent in the Academy

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to the series.

* * *

Hyuga Hinata was always a shy girl. It was what made others think she was weak, including her father. After losing to her little sister yet again, with a bowed head, she left for the Academy. On her way to the school, she had seen a little girl holding hands with her mother. What was it like to have a loving family? She thought as the mother-daughter duo passed her. Her pale eyes studied the girl as she giggled at something her mother said. Hinata had lost her mother when she was very young and recently, she was starting to forget what her mother looked like. She wanted to ask her father about her but even the word mother was taboo in the Hyuga household. So, she was forced to struggle with herself, trying her utmost best to remember the woman who had given birth to her and her sister. She clutched the hem of her over sized grey jacket when she heard a yell. She looked around, trying to pinpoint the location from where the yell came from when she heard it again. Curiosity won over her and she tip toed to where the yell originated. Her eyes nearly popped out of her sockets. Standing in a small crater as battered as can be was her crush, Naruto! She gaped at the destroyed training grounds and at the shuriken everywhere. "That was pathetic" someone said and Hinata finally noticed the scantily dressed woman sitting on the rock. What was Naruto doing with a woman like that?! "You only managed to dodge two" she said and that was when Hinata saw the cuts on his body. She grew faintish at the blood oozing from his wounds. The woman tensed and that was when eyes zoomed in on her pale ones. She eeped and was going to run when the woman appeared behind her. "Oho, what do we have here?" she asked, grabbing the girl by the scruff of her collar. Before Hinata could blink, the woman had dumped her in front of Naruto like a sack of potatoes.

"You're that weird girl that sits next to me in class" Naruto panted and Hinata visibly deflated. Did he even know her name? Was that how he saw her?

"So you're one of the brat's classmates" Anko said, studying her as Hinata sat up. "And a Hyuga at it. I knew you pale eyed freaks were perverts. You probably use those eyes of yours to peep on people all the time" she added as she placed her hands on her hips.

"N-n-n-no w-w-w-we d-d-don't!" Hinata shouted before slapped her hands on her mouth. "Sorry" she whispered.

"So what were you doing?" Anko asked while Naruto slumped to the ground. She glanced at him from the corner of her eyes, watching as his cuts slowly healed, thanks to the fox.

"II-I h-h-heard a-a-a y-y-yell a-and I j-just w-want to k-know w-w-what was going on" she said though Anko didn't seem impressed with her excuse. However she could see that Hinata was too innocent to lie so she accepted it.

"Shouldn't you be in the Academy?" Naruto asked, wiping the dry blood from the corner of his mouth. "You're usually one of the first people in class" he added and she couldn't meet his eyes.

"Y-Y-yes!" she shouted and scrambled to her feet. She went red out of embarrassment before fleeing the grounds like she an S ranked Nin on the heels of her feet.

"She's weird" Naruto muttered to himself. Anko shook her head at him. The boy was dense as ever.

"That kid just gave me an idea. After work, meet me here" she said and Naruto got to his feet. His wounds were completely healed. "You got that?" she asked and he nodded. "Good" she said and disappeared in a swirl of leaves.

"Girls are weird" he said to himself.

* * *

After having to go home for a change of clothes and his bento, he walked back to the Academy. When he entered the class, as usual Hinata and the Uchiha were the first ones to be there. Naruto walked to the back and sat down besides Hinata who was red as can be. "Are you okay?" he asked and she frantically nodded. She was fiddling with her thumbs and was biting her lower lip. "Anko didn't scare you, did she?" he asked and Hinata shook her head.

"N-n-no" she said and placed her hands on her laps. She was struggling with herself whether or not she should ask him about the woman named Anko. "W-w-w-who i-i-is s-she?" she blurted out.

"She's well...you can say she's my teacher of sorts" he said and at the statement, her blush deepened. "No! Not that like that!" he shouted and she giggled. The Uchiha shot them a glare from over his shoulder before going back to brooding.

"S-s-sorry" she whispered and he glanced at her. It was the first time in a year since he chose to sit next to her that they were having a conversation. Most often the girl fainted before Naruto could talk to her.

"She helps me with my training" Naruto whispered and Hinata's eye widened at the confession.

"O-O-Oh" she said and when she realized that he was studying her face, she blushed before ducking her head down.

"Why do you always do that?" He asked, propping his elbow on the desk as he watched her.

"D-D-Do w-w-what?" she asked, shifting in her seat. She was starting get uncomfortable with not only his attention but his question.

"You never look me in the eye and you always blush" he said and on cue, her face got redder. "See?" he said.

"I-I-I c-c-can't h-h-help i-it" she said, staring at her hands on her lap. Tears threatened to appear in her eyes.

"Are you shy or something?" he asked and she nodded. "That's it" Naruto said, with realization in his voice. He smiled and said "Then that doesn't mean you're weird". When their eyes met, Hinata couldn't help but faint.

* * *

"Class, today we're having taijutsu spars!" one of the instructors announced as he walked in. Some of the children cheered whilst the others groaned. In Naruto's case, he felt like crap and he knew it wouldn't go as he wanted. For one thing, he was exhausted, his muscles were hurting from Anko's training and not to mention the weights he wore. He could handle the weaker kids but if he was paired with children from clans like Kiba or even that Aburame kid, he would no doubt lose. He reluctantly got up and he felt someone tug on his hoodie jacket. He glanced at Hinata who weakly smiled at him. After she had fainted, Naruto had to catch her before her head crashed on the desk. At first he didn't think much of her besides that of a weird girl but after talking with her, his perception of her changed. Besides she was the only other kid in the ENTIRE class that even bothered to try and have a conversation with him. The few times she looked at him, he could see no hatred in her gaze; only acceptance.

"I'm fine" he said, and she just glanced at him, trying to see if he was lying or not. "I'm sure" he added.

"You two, let's get a move on" one of the instructors angrily barked at them, well more at Naruto if you would. Hinata 'eeped' and darted down the stairs whilst Naruto couldn't help the chuckle that escaped him.

"W-w-what is s-s-so f-f-funny?" she asked, though he could hear the slight anger in her voice.

"Nothing" he said and walked to her side. "Let's go" he said and she looked away as they walked together. He noticed the blush painting her cheeks, one that she tried to hide as best as she could. When they approached the training grounds, Iruka greeted them.

"You two will be partners since everyone else is paired up" he said and they nodded. As they did their katas, Hinata could see the barely restrained pain on her partner's face.

"I-I-Is it b-because o-of t-t-this m-morning?" she meekly asked. Despite her concern, his eyes narrowed at her in suspicion. She took a step backward with a hurtful expression. He snapped out of whatever he was thinking and apologized.

"I'm sorry" he said and she just stared at her feet. "It's just that I tend to be cautious of people" he added and when she looked up at him, she could see that he was truly sorry for what he had done.

"I-It's o-okay" she said and he smiled at her. "A-are y-you s-sure y-you're u-up f-for t-this?" she asked and he just waved off her concern. After warming up and stretching, he smiled at her.

"Let's start" he said and slid into the basic Academy taijutsu stance while she reluctantly got into her clan's Gentle Fist stance.

"I-I d-don't t-think I-I c-can d-do t-this" Hinata said, glancing at the other students who were sparring around them.

"You're strong Hinata" Naruto said and she stared at him with shock written on her face. "I know you are" he said with a kind of certainty that shook her to the core. Her hands began to tremble. She knew what he was trying to do. He was trying to convince her of her strength so she could overcome her shyness. He used his index finger and beckoned her to start. Her heart sped up as they stared at each other. She couldn't fight Naruto! However because he believed in her, she COULD NOT disappoint him. He was the only person to ever say that she was strong and if she was honest with herself, it made her happy, happier than she had ever been. So, she gritted her teeth and slowly gained a new resolve.

"Byakugan!" she said and he watched as the veins around her temple bulged. With his chakra pathway system in sight, she darted forward, engaging him in a fight. Using her dojutsu to located his tenketsu, she striked. However Naruto was not to be outdone. Despite the pain that rocked through his body, he managed to barely dodge her palm strike, though he cringed as a sting shot through his shoulder. With widened eyes he stared at Hinata with an incredulous expression on his face. "M-m-my Byakugan a-a-allows m-me t-t-to s-s-see y-y-your c-chakra pathway system and p-pinpoint y-your t-tenketsu. T-Then I-I f-force c-chakra i-into y-your b-body, d-d-disrupting y-your chakra f-flow. E-Even if m-my s-strikes d-don't hit, if it n-nicks you, y-you'll s-still feel p-pain" she said, and he had a new found respect for the plum haired girl standing in front of him.

"So all I have to do is make sure you don't come close to me. Challenge accepted" he cheekily said and they smiled at each other before resuming their fight. He bit his lower lip as he pushed his muscles to go the extra distance as she striked at him with a flurry of palm strikes. Despite the fact that he dodged them all, the pain pricked at his upper body. He jumped away from her, in order to put some distance between them. They each stared at each other, heavily panting. He smiled and soon enough, she smiled as well. With that, she rushed to him and Naruto aimed a jab to her head. She ducked under his hand and using the momentum she needed, she striked his stomach with both hands. "Why do they always go for the stomach?" he whispered before falling to the ground.

"N-Naruto-kun!" she shouted and rushed to his side. He groaned and she started to panic. "I-I'm sorry!" she said but he stopped her.

"You won" he said, and her eyes widened. "Didn't I tell you that you were strong?" he asked with a weak smile. She clutched his shirt and he could feel the wet tears soaking into his jacket.

"T-thank y-you!" she sobbed and wiped her eyes. He sat up and clutched his stomach. "I-It'll pass" she said. He nodded and when he stared into her pale eyes, he couldn't help but see himself in her. That was what made him tell her that she was strong. He saw someone struggling with themselves just as much as he was. She was looked at as weak all her life and he knew that deep down, she was starting to believe it, just like he did at one point in his life. He knew that she needed for at least one person to tell her what she wanted to hear, just like he did. However their little moment was broken when a certain Uchiha commented 'Losers'. Naruto looked up, only to see the pale boy staring at him with the same scorn that those villagers looked at him with. He didn't know why but the Uchiha always grated his nerves. He knew he shouldn't have gotten angry but he did. He stood up and the Uchiha looked at him like he was just a speck of dust on his sandals, like he was just that: a nuisance.

"What did you say?" he hissed, clenching his fists so tight that his knuckles turned white. Hinata tried to calm him down but he didn't listen to her.

"He called you both losers, baka-Naruto!" Sakura shouted and the other classmates laughed at their expense. Sakura's confidence withered under his hurt visage. Deciding that Sasuke wasn't worth it, he turned to walk off, only for Sasuke to shoot him a smug smirk. Anger boiled in his veins and a tidal wave of emotions washed over him. The taunts of his classmates, their haunting laughter and Sasuke's smirk were too much. Before he knew it, his vision turned red with fury. He cocked his fist back, planning to drive it into his cocky face only for Sasuke to side step him and plant a punch to his temple.

"Naruto!" he heard Hinata shout as he fell, face first on the ground. His vision was blurry as Sasuke stood over him with a chuckle. He could hear his classmates' laughter and tears stung at his eyes. He had tried so hard to improve, tried so hard to do his best and yet that prick was always steps ahead of him. "N-Naruto-kun" Hinata whispered as he closed his eyes.

"You should just give up, dobe" Sasuke said, walking off, with his fan club on his heels, shouting that he was so cool! With dirt in his mouth and blood trickling down his face, Naruto sat up.

"Damn it!" he hissed as he punched the ground. Hinata frowned and placed her hand on his shoulder. He couldn't look Hinata in the eye, not after what Sasuke did. He gently pushed away her hand and got to his feet. It wasn't like he hadn't been humiliated before but this time it was different. Sasuke went out of his way to publicly show up him. He ignored Hinata as she shouted at him and slowly made his way off the grounds. He was going to show that prick. He would reach his level, and when he did, he was going to wipe that smirk off his face.

* * *

Author's notes: First off, I know I promised action but...this story had a mind of its own, and before I knew it, this was produced. Secondly, I know, poor Naruto. I nearly cried writing this chapter, especially the scene with Sasuke. Before you start to rant, let me just clear one thing. Yes he was a jerk in his chapter but that's it. There will be no bashing in this fic, and you'll find out why he acted that way. Look forward to what I have planned for little Sasuke-chan. Heh. Thirdly, there will be NO major romance in his fic. Yes, Hinata and Naruto connected more than they did in canon but please don't expect a pairing of any kind. And finally, I would like to reference wiki in this chapter because it helped me with the Hyuga bloodline. I just wanted to be sure for the readers so I looked it up. With that, I thank all those who read the chapter and I hope it was at least passable.

Frostycookies


	6. Side Story : Sakura's tale

Side story

Sakura's tale: The day she met the boy named Uzumaki Naruto

Author's note: In the last chapter, I described a day in the Academy and I barely mentioned Sakura. Even though I said that there wouldn't be ANY pairing in this fic, the question that still remains, does Naruto still have a crush on Sakura like he did in canon? Well, unfortunately this side story does not answer that question. Heh. But it does shed some light on how Sakura met Naruto. The next side story, though not in any time soon will be focused on Shikamaru. I plan to do separate stories for some of the characters, and I decided to start off with Sakura. So enjoy.

Frostycookies.

* * *

Their first day at the Academy

"Forehead, forehead!" the kids shouted as they ran away from her. Ino, whom she hadn't talked to in some time, just looked at her, and when their eyes met, she knew the blonde could see the sadness hidden behind emerald eyes. However Haruno Sakura didn't want anyone's pity, and she wasn't going to take it from the likes of Ino-pig! She shouted as she picked herself up. She didn't even notice that her precious hair pin had fallen from bubble gum colored hair as she moved to the corner of the Academy grounds. No one wanted to play with her, and she didn't care. Not one bit, she told herself as she stooped down to write her name on the ground. She didn't care that she didn't have anyone to call a friend because she had _**him**_! Her eyes trailed to the boy who stomped away from the group of children, and at the sight of such pale skin that contrasted well against black hair, tingles ran through her body. Uchiha Sasuke, she dreamily sighed and hugged her hands as she watched the boy who had captured her heart. She didn't care what her mother said. Even though she was young, she knew what love felt like and whenever she looked at Uchiha Sasuke, she knew that she loved him. However, recently the boy had been moodier than before, and no one knew why. "Sasuke-kun!" she shouted and waved but when his black eyes met hers, her hand dropped down. He turned his back on her, and she was going to call him out again, when Ino had beaten her to it. She watched with reluctant eyes as Ino invited Sasuke to her little group of friends. Tears stung at her eyes, as her friends urged the boy into their game, and despite their efforts, the boy barked something at them, before stomping away. She couldn't understand why her precious Sasuke-kun was behaving like that. Didn't he remember the words of encouragement he only paid to her a year ago? Didn't he remember the soft smile he had given her so he could lift her spirits? Couldn't he see that she loved him?! She covered her eyes with her arms, and allowed the tears to come. Not even Sasuke liked her anymore, she sobbed. She hated this stupid Academy already! She had no friends, none of the kids liked her and her crush treated her like she was invisible. Yep, worse day ever.

"Ano" someone said, and when she looked up, through her tears, all she could see was something bright. The person held her hairpin and pushed it towards her. "This fell" he said, and she wiped her face. Embarrassed that he saw her like that, she quickly thanked him before taking the hairpin. When she could finally see him properly, she recognized him as that kid none of the parents liked. Even her own mother had warned her of the blonde. She had noticed him at the entrance when no one but some strange masked men had dropped him off. She had also seen that no one wanted to sit next to him in class and just like her; he had no one to eat his lunch with at lunchtime. He blushed a little and scratched his forehead. "I think its normal sized, dattebayo!" he shouted and her eyes widened. "I mean, your forehead, dattebayo. And your hair is pretty!" he blurted out and despite herself, she couldn't help the smile on her face. She sniffed and he pushed a handkerchief at her.

"Thanks" she whispered and wiped her eyes. He nodded and looked at her name carved in the earth.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, dattebayo! Nice to meet ya" he shouted, and shot her a lop-sided grin. Everything about the boy was so bright. He was bubbly and so happy that it seemed to have even an effect on her. In just a minute he had cheered her up.

"Haruno Sakura" she said, standing up and smiled at him. "Nice to meet you" she added and gave him back the handkerchief.

"So, they don't want to play with you too, huh?" he asked, glancing at the children who had just recently became their classmates.

"Yeah" she sniffed and his eyes lit up. "What?" she asked cautiously and he placed his hands behind his head.

"We can play together! Forget about them, dattebayo!" he shouted and he stooped down where she wrote her name. When he noticed that she hadn't followed his lead, he looked up to see her hands covering her eyes. "Ano, are you alright?" he asked, standing up.

"Thank you" she mumbled and wiped the tears away. He blushed red as a tomato as she just smiled. "So what are we playing?" she asked, and snapping out of his flushed state, he shouting about some game he saw the kids playing. She smiled as he rambled about something he saw, and she couldn't help but think, maybe the Academy wouldn't be so bad.


	7. Chapter 5

Chapter five – The First lesson

Warning: Contains swearing.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or anything related to the series.

Anko knew something was wrong the moment Naruto drew closer to her. She could feel his irritation hovering at the surface, ready to snap like a rubber band under too much pressure. Guessing from the scowl on his face, she concluded that something had happened. "What's got your panties in a twist?" she asked and he just shot a blank stare.

"It's nothing" he said, taking out his hands from the front pockets of his hoodie. "Why did you call me here?" he asked, changing the topic.

"Well, I've got some good news and some bad news. Which do you want first?" she asked.

"Good news" he said and he watched as a grin formed on her face. He instantly regretted his choice. He should've known that with Anko, there weren't any good news.

"Sucks to be you then gaki. When I said good news I meant good news for me and bad news for you" she said.

"Whatever. Just tell me what the news is" He shouted, when she didn't say anything for nearly a minute.

"Fine. You're no fun" she said and he rolled his eyes at her. "With the Hokage's permission we've gained access to another training ground! In fact, it's my favorite!" she gleefully said.

"This is so bad" he said and she just placed her index finger on her lips, telling him to shut up.

"Don't interrupt me when I'm speaking gaki or next time I'll chop off a limb" she said and Naruto silently huffed in annoyance. "Now grab my hand and let's get going" she added and he cautiously did as he was told. With a shunshin, the world blurred before they were transported in front of a large metal gate. He studied the looming forest behind those gates and a large sign that said "DO NOT ENTER". Goosebumps formed on his skin as a daunting scream echoed from the forest in front of him. "This is it. My personal playground, the Forest of Death!" she exclaimed.

"Of course that's the name" he mumbled and she slapped him on the back. He jolted forward from the force and she laughed.

"This is going to be great!" she said, cracking her knuckles. The tiny voice in his head kept shouting "NO! NO! GET AWAY FROM HER AND THAT FOREST!"

"Did jiji really agree to this?" Naruto asked but wasn't paying attention to him. She was too busy staring at the Forest like a child would stare at candy.

"Of course he did!" she said, finally snapping out of her thoughts. "And there's more!" she said and he gulped down the bile threatening to rise in his mouth. "You'll be spending the entire night in there!" she said, raising her arms in the air like it was the greatest news ever. Naruto had visibly paled and he stood transfixed to the spot. "This lesson will be called: Survive the Forest of Death!" she said, pleased with herself.

"Are you crazy?!" he shouted, his voice going up a few octaves. He turned on his heels, ready to leave when she stopped him. "No way would the old man agree to this!" he added.

"He has officially acknowledged me as your sensei, gaki. Therefore your butt now belongs to me" she said, licking her lips at the statement. It was in no way seductive, instead it was sadistic. Her entire aura exuded the following message: I will bring forth pain like you have never known. "So you'll collect your gear and then meet me here in an hour or suffer the consequences" she barked and he frowned.

"Fine but if I die, I'm coming back to haunt you!" he shouted and pointed his finger at her. He stalked away and she turned to the Forest of Death once more. Her thoughts were about her previous meeting with the Hokage.

* * *

 **Previously**

The Hokage sighed as he gazed at his crystal ball. He had just witnessed what occurred between Naruto and Sasuke. He rubbed his temples as exhaustion seeped into his bones. "Makoto-san, call for Anko please. Tell her to get here right away, it's urgent" he said to his secretary, who immediately followed through with his instructions. He leaned back on his chair and began to tap his fingers on the paper cluttered desk. His eyebrows were raised and his eyelids were halfway opened. The Sandaime was tired. Not because of the tiresome paperwork but because of what had happened with Naruto. The boy, in his opinion, deserved all the happiness in the world but he kept getting the raw end of the deal his father made. Konoha's hero had sacrificed not only his own flesh and blood but that of his new borne son in the name of Uzumaki Naruto. Yet, Minato's legacy was subjected to only pain. When Riku and Ami had entered the boy's life, he was elated. Naruto had turned his life around. The pranks had stopped, he took his training more seriously than he had ever done and he had even stopped wearing that horrendous orange jumpsuit. So when Naruto came to him for advice, he was more than happy to oblige him because he knew that the boy was trying harder than he had ever done before. Thus, the Sandaime couldn't help but give him the little push he needed. Throughout the past year, the pride he felt when he saw how hard his grandson was working, threatened to overwhelm him. But the Sandaime knew that Naruto was no where ready for the genin exams. He still couldn't make three decent bushin that were required to pass. Therefore, he decided that he would help him get ready.

"What was so important that you had to call me here? I was in the middle of work!" Anko complained as she stepped in the office with specks of dried blood on her face. His secretary, the one who had escorted her in the office, excused herself before wrinkling her nose at Anko before she closed the door behind her.

"How serious are you with Naruto?" he asked, lighting his pipe with a minor Katon jutsu. Anko adjusted her stance and frowned.

"He's my student" she said wiping her face. She looked at him, and noticed how he had already activated the seals around the office. She knew he meant business.

"Good. I want you to teach him all that you can. He'll need your help with the upcoming genin exams" he said, taking a long drag from his pipe as he studied her.

"What's with the sudden interest?" she asked and she watched as he got up from his seat in order to move near the window.

"What do you see when you look at young Naruto?" he asked and she raised an eyebrow at the question.

"Well, before I honestly thought he was just a loud mouth, orange wearing, Hokage wanna be, goofball" she said and he chuckled. "But now, I see a determined brat on his way to greatness" she added.

"Exactly" the Sandaime said as his ancient brown eyes swept over the village. "Naruto was meant for greatness and now I can more than see him achieving that greatness. However there are others that would not like to see him go far in life. And for that, I want to give him the push he needs to succeed. The village has to see the hero that Naruto is, just like the Yondaime wanted" he said.

"I get what you're saying. The council would blow a fuse if they found out that the local snake whore was teaching the so called resident 'demon brat'" she said bitterly.

"That's why you'll continue to teach him in secret" he said and she nodded.

"Why the gaki and not the Uchiha kid? Ain't he the one that the village hails as the local hero already? They look at him like the sun's shining out of his ass. Wouldn't you want to give him an extra push too?" Anko asked.

"He already has the village's love and loyalty. What does Naruto have?" the Sandaime asked.

"Their hate" she said and images of her own ostracism assaulted her mind. She shoved down those thoughts and focused on the man in front of her.

"That's why once Naruto gets stronger; I believe their opinion will change. If anyone can changer their hearts it would be Naruto. And to address your previous question, young Sasuke is too arrogant as it is. When Itachi defected he broke Sasuke so much that all the boy thinks about is killing his older brother. To him, nothing matters. He has no bonds to hold him here and I fear that in the future he might follow after his brother by defecting as well. I want Naruto to pass the genin exams, and when he does, I plan to place him on the same team as Sasuke. I believe that those two boys share the same pain and only they can understand each other. Therefore, if Sasuke comes to respect Naruto as a rival, I think that he many not follow the path he is treading on" he said.

"Huh, so you're the Professor that tricked his enemies into slitting their own throats. I thought you had gotten soft in your old age" Anko said and they shared a grin.

"Not in this lifetime" he said, looking out the window once more. "I give you permission to train him as you see fit" he said.

"I will not fail you, Hokage-sama" she said and deeply bowed at him. He arched his eyebrow but didn't say anything.

"I feel sorry for the boy already" he commented and she just chuckled before leaving. He looked at the sky. "Minato, Kushina, I pray that you'll keep him safe. He'll need it" he added to himself.

* * *

AN HOUR LATER

After packing all he could, with his backpack on his back, he made it to the gates where Anko told him to meet her. Riku and Ami had even helped him pack some food but he doubt that he would even eat once he was inside that forest. When he saw her, she was twirling a kunai with a sadistic smile on her face. "You're just in time" she said, greeting him. She glanced at his backpack and chuckled. "Oh, did I forget to tell you?" she asked and he knew that meant more bad news. "All you'll be going in that Forest is your standard shinobi gear" she added.

"W-What?!" he shouted and before he stop her, she cut the straps of his backpack. He felt when the bag fell to the ground and he glowered. "How can I survive in there?!" he asked her.

"Like a shinobi would" she said and he looked at her. "You're a shinobi in training, act like it!" she snapped taking up the backpack. "You'll be forced to scavenge and hunt for your food. You'll have to find your own shelter and you'll have to protect yourself. That is what it means to be a shinobi. On missions, do you think you'll have time to carry something like this all the time?! No! So suck it up, and get in there" she shouted, pushing him towards the gate.

"Damn it!" he shouted and ran through the gate. "You better wait, Anko-sensei! I'll defeat this on my own!" he declared before disappearing into the forest. A smile crept on her lips as the word 'sensei' drummed through her brain.

"I know you will, Naruto" she said, before making three shadow clones. "Stay close but don't let him see you" she ordered and with a nod, they were gone.

* * *

Naruto instantly regretted his decision to run into the Forest with his silly declaration. "Are you an idiot?!" he chided himself. As soon as he entered the forest, the temperature had dropped, the evening sun had disappeared under the foliage of the trees and he knew something was staring at his every movement. An intense bloodlust coated over the forest causing the hairs at the back of his neck to stand on end. He took out one of his kunai and cautiously continued on his trek through the forest floor. Every step he took, the crunch of the dried leaves was louder than the next. His eyes were darting everywhere and his senses went on overdrive. His hand holding the kunai started shaking, his teeth clattered and he felt like something was boring a hole in the back of his head with its gaze. The once tall trees had gotten even taller under his veil of fear. They now took on scary faces and the glowing red eyes poking out of the bushes weren't helping either. His stomach churned and the chill in the air intensified the sensation. He stopped when he heard something rustling in one of the nearby bushes. He gripped the kunai tighter as a hiss caught his ears. His heart was thumping against his ribcage and sweat slicked down his face. He braced himself for whatever it was as the thing darted out the bush. His eyes widened and he couldn't help but shriek.

* * *

Anko grinned and sipped on her sake. "Why are you happy? What poor soul have you tortured now?" her best friend, Kurenai asked wearily. They were having some drinks at one of the shinobi bars.

"A little kitsune's" Anko said and she started to cackle to herself.

* * *

"Shit, shit, shit!" Naruto shouted at the top of his lungs as a huge ass snake was chasing after him. "Damn you, Anko-sensei" he whispered as doubled over. It had already been two hours and the snake would not die. He had lost it before, but the purple thing kept coming after him and it was getting even darker. He knew he was at a huge disadvantage because he couldn't see anything. "That's it" he whispered to himself, and he knew what he had to do. He climbed one of the trees and hid. He heard its sickening hiss, and he froze. He crouched down on the branch, and he watched as the thing slithered on its belly on the ground below him. It was nearly twice the height of a man and he knew from the liquid dripping from its fangs that it was poisonous. He saw it stop and he knew he had to get out of there. However before he could even move, its large head swerved to his direction and he froze as those yellow slits took him in. The thing shot at him like an arrow, and he had to jump away. He jumped down in the clearing and watched as the snake crashed into the tree, destroying the branch with its jaws. The cursed thing turned to him once more and it attacked. He threw two of his kunai at the snake that clearly glided out of the way. Naruto smirked at the paper that was attached to the kunai which were embedded on the ground. "See ya later" he whispered and disappeared just in time, as a loud explosion engulfed the clearing.

* * *

After he had managed to defeat the snake, he found another clearing and he had set up a fire. He warmed his hands under the open flames and his stomach rumbled. That stupid snake had taken up his time that he didn't even get a chance to hunt. A cold wind swept through the forest and he shivered. "I just need to try and survive the night" he whispered to himself, and on cue, something jumped out of the bush. He was already on the offensive, when he blinked at the bleeding white fluffy thing in front of him. It let out a cute snarl and when jade colored eyes met his, his mouth dropped open. The white tiger cub with grey stripes weakly roared at him and his eyes looked at the cub's clearly broken leg. However before he could help the cub, eight red eyes poked out of the bushes. The cub rushed towards him and cowered as the largest spider he had ever seen, walked out the bush. "You've got to be kidding me!" Naruto shouted as he grabbed the cub in his hands and ran. The spider used one of its legs to swipe at Naruto who moved just in time to avoid being crushed.

* * *

"Uncle, do you think Naruto will be alright?" Ami asked as they closed up the store. Riku stroked his chin.

"Even I don't know, Ami-chan. This is the Forest of Death we're talking about. Even I have heard about the monstrosities that lurk around there" Riku said as they walked upstairs.

"Monstrosities?" she asked and he nodded as they entered their living room. "What lives in that forest, Uncle?" she added.

"For one, those spiders are not to be trifled with" he said and she quivered at the aspect of having to see such disgusting things. "Some say that they grow to the size of a house inside that forest. I just hope he doesn't meet them because they travel in groups" he added and she sent a silent prayer for her kid brother.

* * *

"Oh Kami!" he wheezed as another large spider fell to the ground with a hail of shuriken embedded into its large head. He had already killed what seemed like twenty yet they still kept coming. It was like that snake all over again. He looked down at the whimpering cub and took out his medical kit. With the little time he had, he would patch up the tiger cub. He slowly took out the splint he would usually use for his arm and had to break it. He placed two of the pieces of broken splint at each side of the broken leg before tying them to the leg. "That's going to have to do until we get out of here" he said to cub that seemed to have stopped yowling from pain. "Be strong, little buddy. I'll get you out of here" he added and picked up the cub in his hands. He could hear the scuttling spiders approaching and once more, he had to run for it.

* * *

DAWN

Anko was excited to see her student as she stood in front of the gates. According to her clones report, he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep, he had been constantly on the run from the resident spiders and when he couldn't run anymore, he fought. She knew he hadn't had anything to eat and despite having the Kyuubi inside of him, even he would be exhausted from a night like that. At the first sign of sun light, she watched as he strolled out the forest with a fluffy thing in his hand. He was swaying side to side, his eyes were barely open and his clothes were covered in sweat, blood and dirt. She grinned at the sight, and before he fell to his face, she chuckled when he groaned "I hate that forest"

* * *

Author's notes: And with that, chapter five is finished! Now I know you may be wondering why Anko chose the Forest of Death as his first lesson, well it's simple really. She already wanted to use the forest to ensure that their training would be hidden away from any prying eyes and let's face it; we all know she's a sadist. Of course she would choose the Forest of Death but that doesn't mean that she would completely leave him alone in there. She had a few clones following him in case of any emergencies. I just thought that Anko would choose something like that for Naruto's first lesson. However there's another reason, which will be revealed in the next chapter. And what about the cute little tiger cub he found? Look out for that as well.

Until next time,

Frostycookies.


	8. Chapter 6

Chapter six- A fight to remember

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

She knew her Uncle was patient with her and she was more than grateful to the man. As they stood in front of the hospital, she couldn't find the strength to walk through those front doors. Flashes of unwanted memories emerged. They were fresh as though they just happened yesterday. The pain was raw as when it first came and the grief threatened to consume her whole. "It's okay if you wait here, you know" he said, and she shook her head.

"Let's go" she said, pushing forward. She had to do this, she thought as they entered the building. Fresh pine was the first thing she smelt as soon as she walked through the doors. Her muscles tensed at the sight of the medic shinobi and her hands trembled. Her Uncle walked away so he could find out which room Naruto had been admitted to. At the thought, she felt _that_ feeling had torn through her body at the thoughts of her brother injured.

"Are you alright?" her uncle asked as he returned. He studied her pale face that was twisted in a grimace.

"Yeah. Did you find out which room he's in?" she said and he nodded. "Then let's go" she added, walking off.

"Are you sure you're up for this?" he asked and she quickly nodded. "Ami-chan" he said but she just forced a smile at him.

"I'm fine" she softly said and he just sighed as they walked down that sterile hallway that she loathed so much...

* * *

"I thought we agreed to secrecy?" the Sandaime asked eyeing a sleeping Naruto through the crack of the slightly ajar door. Anko was leaning on the wall with her hands in the pockets of her trench coat. "Danzo will be on this faster than anyone" he said, rubbing his forehead. He could already see the one eyed man standing in front of him with that signature scowl of his.

"The gaki has more stamina than most of the chunnin in this village but people like Naruto tend to rely on that more than anything. The Forest of Death was to show him that he can't rely on stamina alone" Anko said.

"Fine, I'll let this slide but don't let it happen again" he said. He turned to the woman but her face was set in a frown. He glanced down the hallway and he could see why. Riku and a furious Ami were heading towards them.

"This is not going to be good" he whispered to himself.

* * *

As Ami stalked towards THAT purple haired woman, she was seething with a hot, molten rage that threatened to explode. Oh, she was gong to give her a piece of her mind. "Calm down" Riku warned from behind her but she was already wept away by the anger. Logic had already flown out the window and the rage she felt had taken its place. She couldn't forgive the woman. Not when her brother could've died. At the thought, her stomach turned.

" _You_!" Ami hissed and Anko just pushed herself off the wall with a blank expression on her face. Ami was going to grab the woman by the front of her clothes but Riku pulled her back.

"I know you're upset but you have to calm down..." her uncle was saying but she interrupted him.

"Calm down?!" she shouted and Riku frowned at her. "Naruto could've died!" she shouted her body trembling by the moment.

"He's training to be a shinobi, what do you expect?" Anko said, her eyes narrowed at Ami.

"What?" Ami asked, her rage boiling in her veins. "I expect him to be safe" she seethed at Anko.

"Here's a newsflash lady. We risk our lives everyday. There's no guarantee if the mission we're on can be our last mission. When we go into any fight, we fight to live or we die. It's that simple. That's the path I'm training him for. A long gritty road filled with even more pain and death. That is what it means to be a shinobi" Anko said.

"Bullshit. I'm not letting my brother choose this so called shinobi's path if that is what it means!" Ami protested.

"It's not your choice" Anko said and Ami glared at her. "He already chose when he decided to become stronger" she added.

"He's not going to die, I won't let him. I'll just show him that this is madness!" Ami said, turning to the room, but Anko grabbed her by the wrist.

"If he really is your brother you would accept his decision. You have to push him forward, not be the obstacle in his way" Anko said.

"Do you know what you're asking me?! You're asking me to accept his death!" she shouted and harshly pulled away from Anko. "What would you know? Huh?! What would you know about having a brother?!" she shouted and Anko's face turned hard.

"I may not have a brother but I can see that you're not thinking about him right now!" Anko shouted and Ami took a step back. "Who are you really scared for? You or him?!" she added.

"Him! Of course I'm thinking about him!" Ami said but Anko scoffed at her in disgust.

"Then you should know how he feels. You should understand his resolve and if you don't then you have no right to call him your brother" she said before walking away. Ami's gaze fell to her feet, as Anko's words echoed through her mind. Was she right? She thought.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked as he walked into the hallway, wearing a hospital gown. He could see the tension between the three.

"Naruto!" Ami shouted and hugged him. He had to brace himself from the impact of her hug.

"You gave us quite the scare, my boy" the Sandaime said, though there was only warmth in those ancient brown eyes. Naruto smiled at him.

"Damn right he did! I should duck your pay for this gaki!" Riku bellowed and Naruto frowned. Riku laughed before ruffling his hair. "I'm kidding, gaki. We're just glad that you're safe" he added.

"Yes we are. You should get some rest. Afterwards we have to speak about that little friend you picked up" the Sandaime said.

"Where is he?" Naruto asked, turning back to his room. "Did you patch him up?" he asked.

"Yes, he's currently at the Inuzuka compound. They say he'll be fine and you can pick him up today" the Sandaime said. "We'll speak later. Right now I have to get back to the office" he added and Naruto nodded. With that, he watched as the man poofed away.

"You've got some explaining to do, mister" Ami threatened and he gulped nervously at the statement.

"What happened out there?" Riku asked as they walked into his room. Naruto sat down on his bed and went into detail about his night. When he was finished, Ami sat down beside him, and took his hands. He could that she was struggling with herself, trying not to cry.

"Naruto" Ami said and he turned to her. He watched as Riku tried to stop her from saying whatever she was going to say. "I don't think you should do this" she whispered and the words bounced around the silent room. Riku winced and turned away, already knowing what the outcome would be. Naruto flinched away from her like he was physically burnt by what she said.

"Do what?" he asked, his voice as firm as his clenched jaw. He knew what she was talking about but he had to hear it from her mouth, just to be sure.

"Be a shinobi" she said and reached out for his hand again. However Naruto slapped it away.

"What are you talking about?" he whispered, his eyes wide with all the emotions he felt. When she didn't say anything, he clenched his fists. "DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SAYING?" he roared and her eyes filled with tears.

"Naruto, please listen to me! I can't lose any more of my loved ones! Please try to understand. If you just give up..." she was saying but Naruto cut her off.

"GIVE UP?!" he screamed at the top of his lungs. He could not believe that those words were coming out of her mouth. "Uzumaki Naruto does not give up!" he shouted at her. "How dare _you_ of all people ask me to give up?" he asked, his eyes roving over her face with something akin to betrayal. "You of all people I thought would support me" he added.

"I do support you!" But not this, not this time! You'll get killed if you become a shinobi!" she shouted at him. Her eyes pleading for him to look at her but Naruto wasn't. His head was tilted to the right so he couldn't see her. His fists were clenched so much that his nails were digging into his palms.

"No one will stop me, not even you, Ami" Naruto said, his eyes snapping into her direction. His jaw was clenched and his eyes were cold. "You can't stop me. I WILL get stronger and I WILL become Hokage" he added. The coldness in his eyes made her take a step back as if he had slapped her with his words. Her lips quivered.

"Is that what your life is worth? Are you willing to die for that stupid title?!" Ami screamed as she grabbed the front of his clothes.

"Yes" he said, and he looked at her. "That's what having a dream means! You, who don't have a dream won't understand! I AM going to achieve my dream even if I die!" he said. A loud slap rang through the room. Naruto raised his hand to his now red cheek, his eyes widened with shock. Ami stood in front of him with her cheeks flushed, her mouth was open as she took deep, slow breaths and her eyes were dilated with fervent fear.

"Don't you dare say that again" she said, her voice tight with emotions. "I do have a dream. A dream that no one else in my life dies! I don't want to have to bury another person I love!" she said, shaking her head as hot tears trailed down her face.

"This is my choice. My decision to make" he said, turning his back on her. "I won't give up on my dreams and I won't change my resolve. This is what I chose and I'll stick with it to the end no matter the outcome even if results in my death" he said and she grabbed him.

"Why can't you understand?" she whispered. "You, who don't know what death, means, have no right going around spewing that nonsense!" she said with a delirious voice. "I won't let you die! You're my brother, it's my duty to protect you even from yourself!" she said and he pushed her away.

"I'm not your brother!" he shouted and Ami's mouth dropped open. "Do you understand how it feels like to be trampled on, laughed at, looked down on, spat at and scorned by people all your life?! Of course not, because you're not Uzumaki Naruto! You haven't walked in my shoes! You don't know anything!" he shouted as he stood on his wobbly two feet. "I have to become Hokage, it's all I have to look forward to" he whispered.

"What about us?" Ami screamed at the top of her lungs, with a red face. Hot tears were trailing down her cheeks. "Don't we matter or are we less than your precious dream of Hokage?" she shouted and he stood motionless where he stood, unable to utter even a word. He reached out his hand towards her but she slapped it away. "I guess it does matter more than us since you don't even consider me as your sister" she said before walking out. Naruto walked to the bathroom and slammed the door. Riku stood in the empty room and sighed.

* * *

After changing his clothes, he immediately walked towards the Inuzuka compound. As soon as he was in front of the Inuzuka clan district, he was met with distain from the guards. However they didn't seem to get the message that he was not in the mood to be messed with. "What are _you_ doing here?" one of those bastards asked.

"I came to pick up something. The Hokage gave me permission" Naruto said, shoving his hands in the front pockets of his jacket.

"Naruto?" someone asked and Naruto turned to Kiba who was approaching him. "What are you doing here?" he added. Akamaru yipped from atop of his head.

"I came to pick up a little cub" Naruto said, though his eyes were narrowed on the guards that were regarding him with open disgust.

"Oh, yeah. Mom and Hana are waiting for you in the back. Come on" Kiba said and he turned to the guards. "It's okay. He's been cleared" he added and walked off. As they walked down to the back, he could feel Kiba's gaze on him.

"What?" he asked. From his voice, it was clear as day that he was not hiding the fact that he was pissed off.

"Chill man. Why so hostile?" Kiba asked but Naruto didn't answer. "You've changed, man. You used to be more fun" he muttered under his breath but Naruto heard him.

"No, I used to be the ass of the class, just someone you all can laugh at" Naruto snapped and Kiba stopped in his tracks. "Forget it, I didn't come here for that" he added and brushed past him but Kiba grabbed his elbow.

"No, go ahead. You obviously have something to say, Naruto!" he barked at him. Naruto felt the anger drain from his veins. He didn't want to argue anymore.

"You heard me; I didn't come here for that. I just came here for the little cub" he said, pulling away from him.

"You weren't just someone to laugh at, Naruto! You were our friend before you became this!" Kiba shouted and Naruto felt his temper flare. "You were our friend, man" he added.

"If we were really friends, why couldn't you just accept that I changed?" Naruto shouted and Kiba looked away. Akamaru whined and tried to hide. "Is that what friends do, Kiba? Is that your definition of friend? Someone who abandons people?" he asked.

"NO!" Kiba shouted and then looked away. "You were just different. You weren't the Naruto we knew" he added and a hollow laugh escaped Naruto's mouth.

"You didn't know me, Kiba. And we weren't friends" Naruto harshly said and walked off. "I'll find my own way there. I don't need your help" he added as he disappeared around the corner.

* * *

"He's going to be fine. He lost some blood from the broken leg but we were able to patch him last night" Hana, he assumed, said. The little cub with his properly bandaged leg was in his arm, rubbing his face affectionately on his chest. Kiba's mother was standing in the doorway, staring at him. She was a gruff looking woman who had the red, clan tattoos running down her cheeks and her entire aura was powerful and feral. Though he could sense no hatred from them, he could tell that the woman was on edge in his presence. "I can't believe that he was in the forests" Hana added, smiling at the cub who no doubt liked the blonde.

"Yeah. Thanks for patching him up" Naruto said, and Hana nodded before petting the cub in his arms.

"No problem. That's my job" she said and he smiled. "May I ask what are you planning to do with him?" she asked.

"As soon as he's recovered, I'll release him into the wild" Naruto said and she arched an eyebrow at him. "He's not meant to live here. He's supposed to be free" he added and she couldn't help but grin. "Thanks again" he said and with a bow directed at them both, he left. Hana turned to her mother.

"What do you think about him?" she asked as her mother stared at where he was standing moments ago.

"That boy is just like his parents that it's scary" she said.

* * *

It was cool evening as Naruto walked down the street, As usual people shot him the occasional dirty glances as he walked past them but he wasn't fazed. With the cub secured in his arms he enjoyed the light breezes that blew through the village. His cloudy eyes were focused on the faded pink and blue hues in the evening sky as well as the white clouds that aimlessly drifted above him. The weight of his loneliness weighed down on him. Since his argument with Ami, his stupid head kept replaying it over and over. He heard a little yawn and he felt the cub shift in his arms. He looked down and saw jade colored eyes peering up at him. "Good to see that you're awake" he teased and the cub wrinkled its cute pink nose. "You know, I have to thank you for looking after me" he added, running his index finger on its tiny head. The cub seemingly smiled at him and he smiled back. "Since I don't know your name, I decided to call you Tetsu" he added and the cub placed its paw on its face. "Huh, you don't like that name?" he asked and the cub just yawned again. "Are you hungry?" he asked and its pink tongue poked out of its mouth. "I guess you are" he added and decided to head back to his apartment. When he got to his place as soon as he opened the door, the cub jumped out of his arms despite the professional splint on his leg. He seemed to assess the apartment as he walked around like he owned the place. Luckily the apartment was clean since Ami practically forced him to clean up every week. At the thought of Ami, a bitter taste rose in his mouth. "Let's see. I'm supposed to have some milk around here. The old man went grocery shopping for me last week" he said to himself as he walked to the little mini fridge. "It's not much but its home" he said as though to himself. Tetsu sniffed around and Naruto said "Don't you dare think of going on the floor". The cub shook its head at the accusation. "Heh, you're a pretty smart tiger, huh?" he asked. The cub puffed out its chest and Naruto smirked. He watched as Tetsu jumped on his bed before hiding under his frog night cap. He laughed as the tiger cub played with it. When the milk was warm enough, he poured it in a dish before placing it on the ground. Almost immediately Tetsu rushed towards it. He sat down and watched as it used its pink tongue to lap up the milk with a look of pure contentment on its face. When he was finished, he sat back with a bulging belly. He lazily licked his paws before looking at Naruto. "Are you satisfied now?" he asked and the corners of the cub's mouth curled upwards causing his tiny fangs to poke out of his mouth. He watched as Tetsu yawned and as his eyes began to droop. "You're one sleepy cub" he commented and picked up Tetsu before placing him on his bed. After tucking Tetsu in, his eyes wandered over his empty apartment and for the first time in a year, he felt alone. He gripped his chest as regret and sorrow dug its claws in his heart, digging deeper into the muscle. Unable to bear it anymore, he decided to leave the apartment.

* * *

He decided to sit on one of the benches near the 24 hour store. With the starry night sky above him, he sat down on the cold concrete. He covered his eyes and evened out his breathing. Soft footsteps alerted him of a person approaching. He dropped his hands from his face and looked into the face of the hatless Sandaime. "I thought you could use the company" he said, puffing on his pipe before sitting down. Naruto didn't say anything nor did he look at him. "I heard about your little fight with Ami-san" he added.

"Did the old man tell you?" he croaked as he rubbed his eyes with the back of his palms.

"Family fight all the time, Naruto-kun" the Sandaime said, placing his hand on his shoulder. "All that matters is that you forgive and apologize to each other" he said.

" _ **It hurts**_ " Naruto whispered and the Sandaime placed his hand over Naruto's eyes and pulled him closer to his side. The warmth and the familiar scent of tobacco broke the little restraint he had over his emotions. "We all make mistakes. I'm sure that you and Ami-san will work things out" he added. Naruto didn't know how the Sandaime could break all his barriers without any sort of effort. And just like that, he bawled his eyes out in the comfort of the man he thought of as his grandfather.

* * *

The next day after getting up at his usual time to meet Anko, he was met with Tetsu standing eagerly at the front door. "Your leg hasn't fully healed" he said and the cub whined. "Fine, come on" he added and picked up the cub in his hands. When he opened the door, he saw Riku standing at the base of the stairs. "What are you doing here?" he asked, caution heavily entangled in his voice. Riku bopped him on the head and Naruto yelped.

"That was for skipping work yesterday" Riku said walking off, forcing Naruto to follow after him.

"That was uncalled for, old man!" Naruto shouted as he fell in step with Riku. Tetsu curiously peeked at Riku who just grumbled at him.

"Honestly, I haven't seen a couple of dense idiots like you both in a long time" Riku said and Naruto frowned. "You both said hurtful things but what matters is that you both man and apologize. It doesn't matter who steps forward first, you both have to acknowledge that you're wrong" he said before walking away.

"Old man!" Naruto shouted and Riku stopped before turning to him. Naruto rushed towards him and pushed a confused Tetsu in his arms. "He can't come to training and school with me, so can you look after him while I'm gone?" he asked and Riku sighed. "Thanks, you're the best, old man!" he shouted and with a wave, he ran off. Riku stared down at Tetsu who was still staring at where Naruto was.

"That idiot will be back" Riku said to Tetsu who looked at him. "Let's go" he added and walked down the street.

* * *

Hinata was worried. Naruto had been absent from school for two days. Her pale eyes stared longingly at the door as she bit her fingernails. What if something bad had happened? Her mind started to conjure what horrific scenarios that the blonde could've gotten himself in when said boy walked into the classroom. Her eyes lit up and her heart did somersaults as he made his way up the stairs. She was going to greet him but she stopped herself. The last time they had spoken was when their friendly taijutsu spar had taken a bad turn courtesy of one Uchiha. She sadly looked at her lap as he sat down.

"Hey" he said though it was barely over a whisper and she had to make sure that he was speaking to her. However with his head on the desk, she couldn't see his face. "I'm sorry" he added.

"N-N-no y-y-you d-d-don't h-h-h-have a-anything t-t-to a-apologize f-for" she said and he glanced at her. She felt a tingling warmth trail from her cheeks to her ears. "A-A-are y-y-you o-okay? Y-Y-you h-haven't b-b-been t-to school f-for t-two days" she added.

"I got into a fight with my...sister" he said, though he took some time to say the word sister and when he did, he pronounced the word like it was such an alien term to him, which it was. Despite the fact that it was understood that Ami was like a sister to him, he had never said it out loud, not even to himself. He felt guilty as a tiny voice in the back of head kept chiding him by saying that a deep part of him didn't truly believe that she was indeed his sister. Ami was right, he somberly thought.

"Y-you h-have a-a-a s-sister?!" she asked, belief on her face. She had thought that he was orphan. She didn't know he had a sister. Then something unexpected happened. Naruto smiled. Not the ones that he often wore but this was different and it made her heart beat a mile per minute. His eyes were closed in happiness, his nose was crinkled a little, and the corners of his lips were curved upwards.

"Yes, yes I do" he confessed almost like he was talking to himself. "I have a sister" he said, more assure than he was a minute ago.

* * *

As Naruto stood in front of the dango store, his hands were shaking like a leaf. He took a deep breath before going inside. When his eyes met hers, they stood rooted to their spots. They didn't say anything but once Ami moved upstairs, he followed suit. The atmosphere was awkward and tense as they sat down in the living room.

"I'm sorry" she said and he barely registered the words once they came out her mouth. "I shouldn't have hit you and I shouldn't have told you to give up becoming a shinobi" she added.

"You asked me to give up my dream, Ami" Naruto said, staring at his hands. "Do you know how painful it was to hear those words coming from you?" he added. She got up and sat beside him.

"I know. I was so caught up in my own emotions that I didn't think about what I was saying. I already lost everyone around me and I was scared of losing you too" she said, wiping her eyes. "I should not have even thought about asking you to give up on your dreams. I was wrong. I'm sorry" she said.

"Even thought I made a promise to become Hokage, I'll also make you a promise" he said and she looked at him. "I won't die" he said and tears fell down her cheeks. "As your brother, you have to believe in me" he said and she hugged him.

"I know, you don't give up on your words because that is your shinobi way" she said and he held onto her tighter. "I'll believe in you, Naruto so don't you dare break our promise" she whispered. He could feel the tears on his shoulder and before he knew it, tears flowed from his eyes as well.

"Let's never fight again, okay?" she sobbed and all he could do was nod. They sat like that for nearly two minutes before Riku appeared.

"For Kami's sake, are you two done already?" Riku asked and they pulled apart. He had the air knocked out of him as Ami tackled him with a hug. "I'm glad you two made up" he added and ruffled Naruto's hair.

* * *

"Phew, I'm emotionally drained" Naruto said in a raspy voice. He locked his door and placed Tetsu on the floor. "Are you alright, little cub?" he asked the now stiff Tetsu who kept staring at the window. "Are you hungry?" he asked and the cub shot him a look that spoke volumes. "Tetsu?" he asked, stooping down in front of him.

"It's not Tetsu, its Ko" a high pitched voice said and Naruto's mouth dropped open as the cub looked at him. "And you need to get me back to the forest" he said. Naruto yelped and fell flat on his butt.

"Y-y-you c-c-c-can t-t-talk?!" he shouted, pointing at the tiger cub. That was to say his neighbors were not pleased that night.

* * *

Author's note: Did you get the Gintama reference? "It's not Tetsu, its Ko". Doesn't that remind us of a long haired man with a strange alien companion by the name of Elizabeth? It does, doesn't it? On another note, I thought that even though Ami, Riku and Naruto are happy, just like any other family out there, they will get into their share of arguments once in awhile. It was an emotional chapter but I think that the fight had to happen, so it could bring the family even closer. And finally, the fight with Kiba. You may have noticed that I hardly mentioned the Rookie 9 when I wrote about his Academy days with the exception of Sasuke, Ino, Sakura and Hinata. As you can see, he had a little falling out with the ones he hung out with in canon Naruto. Why is that? Well, you'll have to stick around for that answer.

Frostycookies


	9. Chapter 7

Chapter seven – The Tora Family

Notice : The characters created by the author are all fictional, any resemblance to real life persons are mere coincidence.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.

* * *

Naruto snapped out of his stupefied state but he kept pointing at the cub who just directed a yawn his way. "H-H-How c-can y-you t-talk?!" he yelled and the cub grinned.

"I'm a tiger summons!" Ko said and Naruto's eyes turned into the size of saucers at that point. "Like I said you have to get me back to that forest" he added.

"I've never heard of a tiger summons!" Naruto stated and stood up. He started to pace around his apartment as one of his neighbors banged the wall.

"Keep it down, brat! People are trying to sleep here!" the man shouted and Naruto's mouth snapped close.

"I have to tell the old man Hokage" Naruto said, albeit a little softer that time. Ko's eyes widened.

"No, you can't!" Ko shouted and Naruto stopped in his tracks at the cub. "You can't" he repeated.

"Why not?" Naruto asked as the cub stood up. Naruto could see that the cub was afraid. The question was: why was he?

"My brother, Takao doesn't like humans. You can say that he's had bad experiences from what he told me. The only reason I revealed my secret to you is because I've deemed you worthy. You can't let any other humans find out" he said.

"So if you have your brother, why were you being chased by those spiders?" Naruto asked.

"I wandered away and before I knew it those stupid spiders came chasing after me" he angrily huffed. "You need to get me back to that forest before Takao finds out that I'm in this village of humans. He'll think the worst and he'll want to attack it" Ko said.

"What? Why is he so hostile toward humans? We're not all bad" Naruto said, a little offended.

"Humans have done unexplainable things to us tigers since the beginning and I'm not even talking about us summons. They've hunted us for sport, for our hide and even in some cases for pets" Ko said and Naruto knew that what the little cub said was true. "Will you take me there?" he asked and Naruto nodded.

"I promise" Naruto said and Ko smiled before tottering over to him. He picked him up and he added "And you can bet that Uzumaki Naruto keeps his promises"

"I knew I could trust you! You're a good person, Naruto!" Ko said.

* * *

The next day, after training with Anko, instead of heading to school, he went back to the Forest of Death. "Let's get this over with" he said to Ko who nodded. Taking the little cub's directions they made their way to a large clearing, deep within the forest. Unlike Ko who was excited, Naruto wasn't. From Ko's description of his brother, he just hoped that the tiger didn't rip his head off the moment they met.

"This is it!" Ko shouted and Naruto snapped back to reality. He stared at the large clearing surprisingly filled with the soft rays of sunshine. The leaves rustled above head and he couldn't help but muse aloud that the clearing was much different from the rest of the forest that reeked of death. Birds were soaring in the cloudless sky, filling the air with their sweet songs.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked, since he didn't see any tigers roaming about. "I don't see anything" he added, confused as hell.

"There he is!" Ko said and on cue, Naruto saw the largest tiger he had ever seen in his sport span of his life. He stood at the same height of the Hokage tower and as Naruto took a step back, the tiger's eyes zoomed in on him. He was a large version of the cute tiger cub, and he had a large scar running through his right eye that appeared to be blind, guessing from the cloudy grey color. His ears were flat on his head, his eyes were dilated with anger, his mouth was open in a growl and he was ready to pounce on Naruto.

"Wait, brother!" Ko shouted and the tiger looked at him. "This human saved me from the spiders!" he added and Takao slowly strode towards them with aristocratic grace that no animal should have. Naruto cowered as the majestic beast towered over him as he stopped in front of him. "Brother!" Ko shouted happily as Naruto placed him on the ground. The tiger rushed towards Takao and Naruto watched as Takao affectionately nudged Ko with his massive head.

"Did this human really save you?" Takao asked and hives broke out on his skin at the sound of the tiger's deep, grating voice that boomed like a thousand claps of thunder. Ko nodded and looked at Naruto.

"He saved and protected me the entire time!" Ko said, and Takao snorted at him. "I'm telling you the truth! He's one of the good guys!" he tried to convince his brother.

"No human will ever be good. They're all vile things, only capable of lies and ulterior motives" he sneered.

"Listen, I made Ko a promise which was to get him to you, that's all! I don't have ulterior motives!" Naruto shouted and Takao let out a deep growl that rumbled from his chest but Naruto wasn't disconcerted. Naruto shot Ko an apologetic smile. "I guess this is where we part, little buddy" he said.

"No!" Ko shouted and Naruto frowned. "Brother, I know that Naruto's the one to get mom back home" he said.

"Enough, Ko!" Takao snapped and Ko shrank under his brother's gaze. "I will not allow humans to help us" he added.

"But brother, he's not like the other humans!" Ko pleaded with his older brother but the tiger wouldn't listen.

"Takao, let us hear the little cub out" someone said and Naruto watched as another tiger, a little smaller than Takao emerged from the forest. He noticed that she was heavily limping. She had the sleekest fur amongst the other two and he watched in wonder as the grey stripes seemed to dance in the sunlight. Kindness swam in her amber eyes as she stood in front of Takao.

"Mum!" Ko shouted and Naruto couldn't believe that this was their mother. She laughed and Naruto was reminded of Ami.

"Are you sure he's the one, Ko-chan?" she asked and as Ko laid down on his mother's head. He nodded and she turned to Naruto. "Thank you for saving my little cub" she said tilting her head, surprising both Takao and Naruto at the gesture. "My name is Chie and as you know these are my sons, Takao and Ko" she added. Ko waved and Takao just looked away. "Will you listen to our story, youngling?" she asked.

"What are you doing, mom?" Takao asked her but she just smiled at him. "Did you forget?" he asked, hurt in his lone eye.

"If Ko-chan believes that he can help us, I will believe my cub" she said and then turned to Naruto. "So will you hear me out?" she asked.

"Y-yeah, sure" Naruto said.

* * *

Iruka's eyes wandered over the classroom as he dismissed his students for lunch. Naruto had been missing in class AGAIN. He knew that his once truant student had changed. So that meant that whatever was happening with him was serious. With that in mind, he decided to head over to the first place he would be. At Riku and Ami's. He had met the dango shop owner and his niece. They were one of the kindest people he had met. At the thought of pretty Ami, a blush tainted his cheeks. He shook his head, chiding himself for his thoughts. He had to focus. "Riku-san" he warmly greeted the man as he entered his shop. The aged man looked at him and smiled.

"Iruka-san, what can I do go for you today?" he asked, but before Iruka could respond, Ami flew out the kitchen.

"Is it Naruto?!" Ami shouted as she approached. "Did something to happen to him?" she asked. Iruka blinked, confused.

"I came here because Naruto didn't come to class today" Iruka said and Riku glanced at Ami. "You didn't know, did you?" he asked.

* * *

"Have a seat" Chie said and Naruto sat on the soft grass. Chie sat in front of him and Takao made sure to sit far away from Naruto, snorting as he did. "Our story begins with the young human by the name of Okabe Minoru" she said. "He belonged to a family of monks that resided in Tea Country" she said, gazing at the sky. "The Okabe family was once prominent monks that were said to have unearthly powers" she said, and Takao huffed. "When Minoru was just eighteen he had received a scroll from his father who got it from his father who got it from his father. It was a scroll passed down the generations of family heads. On his father's death bed, he had given specific instructions to Minoru. He was to protect the scroll and he was to keep it secret. That scroll was our summoning contract" she added, and Naruto eyes widened. "Our summoning contract had been hidden and protected by the Okabe family who treated it as something holy and sacred. Not like the other contracts. Do you know why?" she said and Naruto shook his head.

"One of our abilities include reading a person's fortune" Takao cut in. "That's what makes us superior to your species" he added.

"Enough, Takao" Chie chided and the tiger just closed his eyes. "The first half of his statement is true. We have the ability to read a person's fortune. That is what made the Okabe family so renowned. One of their ancestors had found our summoning contract and since then they hid it at our request in exchange for our powers" she added.

"If you didn't want your contract found why did you agree to provide the Okabe family with your powers?" Naruto asked.

"When their ancestor had found our scroll, we made a contract on that day. We the Tora clan would work by their side and the Okabe monks would not reveal our identity to the world" she said. "However Minoru broke that contract when he fell in love with a young maiden. You see she was a spy for the neighboring temple and on her request, he had told her about us. And that was the beginning of the end. After she had told her superiors of our existence, they sought out our powers for their own and to do that, they hired shinobi. Realizing his mistake and his lover's betrayal, Minoru attempted to flee to Konoha to hold a council with your Sandaime" she said and Naruto couldn't believe what he was hearing. "However the hired shinobi had intercepted his caravan and they slaughtered everyone. But Minoru had managed to escape to the forest. Seeing that his death was upon him, in his fright he summoned me. When the time came, I could not defeat those shinobi by my own, and this was the result" she said, revealing her paw. He winced at the sight of a fuma shuriken implanted in her paw. "I had managed to escape into the forest and somehow I ended up here. Because of this, I can't go home in the other dimension. Takao is too large to take it out and Ko is too small. And because I can't go home, they refuse to leave my side" she said and Ko snuggled closer to his mother. "We've been forced to roam these forests, waiting for the day that I can return" she said.

"That's terrible" Naruto said and Takao glowered at him, clearly not happy at Naruto's pity. "What, it is!" he said and Chie chuckled.

"Chie-san, I'll help you!" Naruto declared and stood on his feet. However before he could, Takao stopped him.

"We do not want your help!" he shouted and turned to his mother. "We can not take this human's help" he added.

"Yes we do!" Ko shouted at his brother. "He's the only one that can get mom home!" he added.

"Ko is right" Naruto said, and Takao growled at him. "I'll do it" he said and Chie placed her paw in front of him. "This is going to hurt" he added and Chie nodded.

"Be strong, mommy" Ko said and Naruto smiled at him. He took a firm grip of the shuriken and he nodded at Chie.

"Brace yourself" he said and with one harsh pull, it came out. Chie roared in pain and her sons surrounded her.

"Thank you, young one" she said breathlessly. "With this I can go home and you will forever have our respect" she whispered and with a poof, she disappeared.

"Thank you, thank you!" Ko cried and Naruto petted him. Takao grudgingly nodded at him.

"Yeah, what Ko said" Takao growled and Naruto just smirked. "Ko, let's head back" he added and poofed away. Ko shot Naruto a sad look.

"It's okay. Go and join your family. You should be happy" Naruto said, passing his hand over his head. Ko smiled.

"I won't forget you!" Ko shouted and disappeared as well. Naruto stood up, surrounded by the warmth of the sun.

"Me too" he whispered.

* * *

Author's notes: I enjoyed writing about Ko and his family. I based Chie's story on Naruto Shippuden episode 223, the one with the Marlin. I wanted something to keep Chie tied to the Naruto universe and I couldn't think of anything but that. Now you may be wondering why Ko didn't poof back to their plane once he got lost. Well, he was going to, when he caught sight of Naruto and caught off guard, he tripped, resulting in his broken leg. On a last note, this not the end of this family, I plan to bring them back in future chapters.

Until next time,

Frostycookies


	10. Chapter 8

Chapter eight – The meaning of hard work

Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto

* * *

While the village of Konoha was still dormant, one genin was not. He would get up even before the sun would and start his training regime because it was his routine. This one genin who knew the true meaning of hard work was none other than Rock Lee. He liked to use that time alone to think about his life thus far and about the wonderful sensei that had basically saved his life. He smiled at the thought and jabbed at the air as he sprinted down the street. He didn't care that the icy air smacked against his face and nipped at his body. "Yosh! I will make you proud, Gai-sensei! I will complete two thousand laps in your name!" he shouted and pumped his fist in the air. With his newfound strength, he pushed his legs to go even faster. He owed everything to Gai-sensei and he could make sure to repay the man's kindness with dedication and hard work. As he was sprinting down the street, he caught sight of a person wearing a red jacket with the hood over his head. Though he couldn't see the person's face, he watched as the person yawned loudly before shoving his hands in his front pockets. As he ran past the person, that was when blonde hair poked out of the hood. Immediately Rock Lee skidded to a stop and watched as the boy took a stumble back from the force. "Uzumaki Naruto!" he shouted and the boy slowly turned around. The boy took off his hood, and though he wore a bandana, he could still see that bright blonde hair that his teacher had described to him. His eyes lit with a strange new fire as he darted towards him.

Naruto always hated getting up especially so early in the morning. He wanted to crawl under his bed and allow the heat of his sheets to lull him to sleep. As he staggered to meet his crazy ass Anko-sensei, his eyes were still drunk with sleep. As he was grumbling to himself, something that felt like a strong gust of wind forced him backwards. A shout of his name snatched him away from his revere, and he slowly turned to the person that had called him out. When he looked down the street, his eyes widened. A weird boy wearing a green jumpsuit was smiling at him. Whoever that weirdo was, he didn't want ANYTHING to do with him! The trusty voice in his head was shouting at him to get away, and he had learned the hard way that he should never ignore that voice. So, he turned on his heels, ready to escape. "Oh Kami!" he shouted when the boy suddenly appeared in front of him in the blink of an eye. He had to calm down his heart that was doing flip flops in his chest. Naruto stilled as he took in the boy's appearance. Bowl hair cut? Check. Body tight green jumpsuit? Of course. The most insanely large eyebrows he had ever seen? Yup. Orange leg warmers? Sure, why not? Yeah, whoever this boy was, Naruto didn't want anything to do with him. "What do you want? I have nothing on me, eyebrows!" he shouted but the boy just threw his head back and laughed. He slapped Naruto on the shoulder and smiled. Naruto was nearly blinded by his pearly white teeth that he could use to see his own reflection.

"My youthful friend, I do not wish to steal from you!" he shouted and Naruto winced at the volume of his voice. "I merely wished to greet you. You are Uzumaki Naruto, right?" he asked.

"These whisker marks are authentic, bushy brows" Naruto said and Lee just chuckled. "And how do you know my name?" he asked.

"My sensei knows your sensei!" he said showing him a thumbs up pose. "She mentioned you and he told me about your burning display of youth!" he shouted and clenched his bandaged hands.

"Your sensei knows Anko-sensei?" he asked with an arched eyebrow. Lee nodded and Naruto added "Huh". Of course Anko would know a teacher that would allow his student to wear _something_ like that. _You used to wear an orange jumpsuit, so I don't see how you can judge him_ his self conscious informed him and he nodded. "You're right" he mused to himself. "Well, it was nice meeting you but I have to go" he said and turned to leave.

"Are you going to meet your sensei for training?" he asked and Naruto nodded. However he instantly regretted it as he saw the gleam in the boy's eyes. "Yosh! I must tell Gai-sensei of such commitment to your shinobi training!" he shouted and ran off.

"Uh, wait! I didn't get your name, bushy brows! What is it?!" Naruto shouted and the boy stopped.

"Rock Lee!" the boy shouted and with a smile over his shoulder, he disappeared. Yep, Naruto had to tell Anko about him.

* * *

His previous encounter hadn't left his mind as he approached Anko. "What's with that look on your face?" she asked.

"I met this crazy boy that..." he was saying when Anko interrupted him and he frowned.

"Whatever you do in your free time is your business. Your preference is your choice" she said seriously, though there was a malicious grin on her face. Naruto turned red at the insinuation and pointed at her.

"I'm straight, baka-sensei!" he shouted and she just rolled her eyes at his outburst. "And it's not like that. As I was walking here, this boy..." he was saying but stopped when she turned her back on him. "Hey! You're not even listening to me!" he complained. However she shivered and her muscles tensed.

" _ **IT'S**_ here" she whispered and Naruto was confused. She spun around and said with a frantic face "Quick, describe this boy to me"

"Oh, so now you want to know? After you gave me a hard time..." he was saying but stopped as Anko shook him.

"Tell me! Did he wear a horrendous green jumpsuit and matching leg warmers?!" she shouted and when he nodded, she froze. "No" she whispered.

"Anko!" a voice boomed and her frantic look turned to one of horror.

"Quick, take my hand!" she shouted but Naruto just shot her a confused stare. "This is a matter of life and death, gaki!" she shouted and was going to forcefully use a shunshin to get them out of there, but it was too late as two green blurs had stopped in front of them. "Damn it" she muttered under her breath.

"Anko!" a large version of the boy shouted with a smile on his face. Guessing from the flak jacket he wore, Naruto knew that the man was a jounin. Now, everything made sense, he thought as he looked at the man's mini clone that was proud to be standing with his teacher. "So this is your young charge! Nice to meet you, young Uzumaki!" he bellowed, suddenly standing in the same pose that Rock Lee mirrored.

"Uh, nice to meet you as well?" he said, though it came out like a question. However the man wasn't perturbed by the skeptism in his voice, instead his smile grew wider.

"Didn't I tell you Gai-sensei?!" Lee shouted and Gai nodded fervently as he stared at Naruto.

"The flames of youth burn brightly in our friend, Lee!" Gai shouted and Lee smiled. "Take note, Lee! This extraordinary..." he was saying when Anko interrupted him rather rudely.

"What do you want Gai? I'm sure it's not to commend my baka student" she said, placing her hands on her hips. She ignored Naruto's indignant 'Hey!' in the background.

"I thought our students can have a friendly all taijutsu spar" Gai shouted and Naruto frowned.

"Sure! And I have the perfect training grounds!" she chirped.

* * *

"Anko-sensei, tell me, why is this a good idea again?" he asked, pulling her aside. She smiled and he knew that this indeed, not a good idea.

"You're right. This is a horrible idea because you're going to get creamed by that mini Gai" she said and he scoffed. He glanced back at the boy who was dramatically crying at something his teacher was telling him.

"I hardly doubt that" he said and she smacked him behind his head. "Hey!" he shouted and nursed the stinging wound.

"Don't let his appearance fool you, baka. Look at his hands" she said and that was when he noticed the bandages. "That kid worked his ass for all his life and it's safe to say he's one of the strongest genin in Konoha" she added and his eyes widened.

"He's a genin?" he shouted and pointed at him. "That boy there is a genin?" he asked and Anko nodded.

"He's been an active genin for a year now" Anko said and Naruto allowed the information to soak in. "While you were off pranking the villagers and painting the Hokage monument, he's been busting his ass to improve himself. He's been training to get stronger longer than you have" she said and Naruto looked his own hands. "A year of training in the shinobi world is next to nothing and without a teacher? It's more than nothing" she said, and he clenched his fists as his temper flared. How dare she say that his training was nothing! "Before you blow a fuse, let me ask you. How far did you get with the leaf concentration exercise? You can only make one bushin right?" she asked and when he didn't respond, she knew she was right. "That's what I mean that you can't win but there's a reason why I want you to fight this kid. I want to make a deal with you" she said and he looked at her.

"A deal? Are you sure you don't want to see me get beat to a pulp just for entertainment?" he asked and she chuckled.

"That is a plus side but no. I want to make a deal. If you manage to land even a hit on this kid, I'll help you with your chakra control. There's an exercise that's even better than the leaf concentration exercise" she said and he gaped at her.

"A better exercise?!" he shouted and she nodded. "Are you sure this can help me with my bushin?" he asked and she smirked.

"I'm positive this will help you make at least three bushin for the upcoming genin exams" she said and he fidgeted with excitement. "You want to pass, right?" she coaxed and he beamed.

"Of course I do!" he shouted and she had to calm him down. "Ah, sorry" he said, and rubbed behind his neck sheepishly.

"Well, that's it then. We have a deal" she said and he smiled. "Now go take off your weights and start your katas" she added, and gave him a little push.

* * *

Naruto stared at Lee who was bouncing on his heels. How could this boy be a genin when he failed twice at the exams? And how could be one of the strongest genin in Konoha? He asked himself. "Yosh, I wish you good luck, my youthful friend!" he shouted at Naruto who watched as he got into a strange stance. He had his left hand behind his back with right hand forward. Naruto glanced at Anko who nodded at him. He took some deep breaths to calm his nerves down and slid into his own taijutsu stance. From what Anko had told him, he knew that he had to take this boy seriously. That was when Lee blurred and Naruto was forced to dodge the boy's swift barrage of kicks. Naruto's leg muscles screamed in protest at the speed he was required to take to avoid those attacks. With the last kick aimed at his head, Naruto ducked down and he striked at the boy's abdomen, only for Lee to avoid it, by jumping away. Lee shot Naruto a smirk before he darted towards him in a blur. With a raised leg, Lee brought it down towards his head and all Naruto could do, was block with his both of his forearms. He felt like his bones cracked under the strength of such a kick, and he nearly shouted out from the pain that shot through his arms. Lee pushed himself away before appearing a few feet opposite from the blonde. Naruto winced and tried to shake off the shock in his arms, but to no avail. He had no time to think about the throbbing because the genin shot towards him. Naruto was forced to weave left and then right to avoid Lee's punches. Using the moment, he decided to try to strike at his face. However Naruto eyes widened as the green clad boy pushed his own head back and took hold of his hand. Lee used his hold on his hand and yanked Naruto closer to him before slamming the heel of his hand onto Naruto's chin. Naruto felt like his entire jaw was ploughed into his brain. However Lee wasn't finished. He rammed his elbow into Naruto's ribs before delivering a brutal uppercut that propelled Naruto's backwards and onto the ground. Naruto coughed up blood but rolled on his side. He picked himself up because he had to manage at least one hit or the deal with Anko was off. He wiped the blood from his mouth and stared at Lee, who was looking at him. Now he understood why Anko said that Lee was one of the strongest genin in Konoha. "This guy's speed is insane" he said to himself.

"Thank you, Naruto-kun!" Lee shouted with a smile as Naruto slipped into his stance and with that, he took off once more. Naruto used his palm to push away Lee's roundhouse kick, who then rushed forward, brought his right knee up and aimed a side kick at Naruto. The blonde moved out of the way by shifting a little to the left and dodged another one of those deadly kicks because he knew what would happen if he tried to block it like the last time. Naruto countered with a roundhouse kick of his own and when his foot connected with the temple of Lee's head, his heart threatened to leap out of his chest. However, his victory was short lived. As Naruto moved backwards, away from Lee, he was unprepared for the increase of Lee's speed. Naruto could only watch as Lee lifted his right foot and striked at his hip, effectively snapping the bone under the force. Naruto bit down onto his bottom lip and blood trickled down his mouth. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun but I must finish this fight before I hurt you further" he said, and with that, Lee knocked him out with a spinning kick.

* * *

"Welcome back to the land of the living" Anko said, and Naruto just groaned as he sat up. Like with their spar, while Naruto was unconscious she had performed the medical jutsu she knew and along with the help of Kyuubi (Naruto didn't know), his injuries had been healed. Though his body felt like someone chewed him up and spat him back out.

"Naruto-kun!" Gai shouted and Naruto looked at Lee who looked at him a little guiltily. "Your shining display of such youth moved my heart!" he shouted and gave him a thumb up.  
"Yosh, Gai-sensei, you're right! He was able to keep up with me!" Lee shouted and Gai nodded.

"Bushy brows, are you wearing your weights still?" Naruto asked, and the green clad duo looked at the boy who was staring at his hands. If this boy had trained all his life, then he would be wearing weights for his training, he had deduced while he was fighting. Yet Naruto hadn't seen him take anything off before the start of their fight which made Naruto come to the conclusion that he was indeed, still wearing his weights.

"Ah, Naruto-kun, don't worry..." Lee was saying when Naruto punched the ground. Anko looked at them and Gai seemed to understand.

"Let's leave our youthful friend for now, Lee" Gai said, and when Lee looked at him, he nodded, though he was reluctant to leave the blonde. They disappeared and Naruto couldn't stop the tears from his eyes.

"Why is it that I'm always losing?!" he shouted and punched the ground again. "First you, then that teme and now bushy brows! What am I doing wrong?" he sobbed and Anko ruffled his hair.

"Don't let it get to you, gaki" Anko said, and Naruto wiped the tears away. "There will always be someone out there, ready to show you that you're not as strong as you think" she added as she plopped down beside him.

"It's not like I want to be weak" he sniffed and she sadly smiled. "I've tried everything I could to get strong, but it just never seems to go my way" he added and she folded her arms across her chest.

"Becoming strong is a process. Look at that kid, did you know that he can't use any jutsu but taijutsu?" she said, and Naruto turned to her with puffy eyes.

"What? That kid who handed my ass to me?" Naruto asked and Anko nodded. "What the hell man" he whispered to himself though she heard him.

"He can only fight with taijutsu yet he managed to become so strong" Anko said and Naruto looked at her. "Do you know why? Just like you, he has a dream to become one of the strongest shinobi in the elemental nations. He has something to prove to all the naysayers that doubted him and personally, I want to be there, when he rubs it in their faces" she added and she glanced at him. "I know you have something to prove to the villagers, right?" she asked and nodded.

"That I'm not a monster and I WILL protect the village that the previous Hokages fought to protect" he said, as he clenched his fists.

"And you already took the first step. You got serious, stopped your pranking, you go to school and you're training yourself to become the shinobi you wish to become" Anko said, and he arched an eyebrow at her. "Plus with my awesome teaching, you'll gain the strength to succeed your goals" she said and he couldn't help the smile on his face.

"So you believe in me?" he asked and she smacked him on the head. "Ow, what was that for?" he yelped at her.

"That's for your cheekiness, gaki. Know your place" she barked but he could see the playfulness in her eyes. She leaned back on the tree behind her and placed her hands behind her head. "So you're not afraid of this forest as before, huh?" she asked and he shrugged.

"There's something about getting your ass kicked that snip away the death lurking around" he said and she laughed. "So, about our deal?" he asked, and she smirked.

"Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you the exercise" she said and he arched an eyebrow. "So get ready because it's going to be the most grueling training you'll ever receive" she added.

* * *

Author's notes: So, with that, chapter eight is finished. You would have realized that in addition to not taking off his weights, Lee didn't open any of the gates when he fought with Naruto. The reason for that? He knew that Naruto wasn't that much of a skilled fighter AS YET (Don't worry he will be), so he didn't bother to do any of those things. On another note, I'm not so good with fight scenes, I said that before, so I hope it was alright.

Until next time,

Frostycookies


	11. Chapter 9

Chapter nine – Second Lesson: Tree climbing exercise

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

* * *

"Would you stop that?" Anko snapped at the blonde who was smiling from ear to ear as they stood in the clearing.

"I can't help it" he said, and she rolled her eyes. She took out a kunai from her pouch and he jumped away as she flung the thing to the ground, right in front of him. "What the hell?" he shouted and she just chuckled.

"Alright, time to get this show on the road!" Anko said, cracking her knuckles. "Today, our lesson will be the tree climbing exercise" she added and walked up to a tree. She turned to Naruto who visibly deflated. "What?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"This is the training that will help me with my bushin? Climbing trees? Lame" he said and he yelped as a kunai grazed his ear. "Oi, what the hell is wrong with you, Anko-sensei?" he shouted and pointed at her.

"Will you just shut up?" she asked, as her right eye twitched. He huffed but complied. "Where was I? Yes, as I was saying, the tree climbing exercise is usually used to help genin with control of their chakra especially since they would be trained in jutsu" she added and nearly chuckled at the eagerness that Naruto emitted. "However, before I show you this exercise, tell me, what is chakra?"She asked, and he arched an eyebrow.

"It's the thing in our bodies" he said with a shrug. When she told him to elaborate, he frowned. "Fine, it's the energy in our bodies, better?" he asked and she shot another kunai at him.

"That was for the attitude" Anko said and he scowled at her. "Now give me a better explanation than that. I know for a fact that your instructors explained the concept of chakra in the Academy" she added and he sighed.

"It's the mixture of energy from our body and spirit... I think" he said and she smirked.

"Good enough. See, was that so hard?" she asked and he huffed at her. "As you said, it's a mixture of energy that we mold in order to perform all the techniques, we shinobi use" she added and slapped the tree. "If you were to mold chakra at the bottom of your feet, like this" she said, and she formed a seal with her hands, and a thin layer of blue chakra formed at her feet, causing Naruto's eyes to widen. "We can use it to climb this tree like this" she said and Naruto gasped as Anko vertically walked up the tree.

"Amazing!" he shouted and jumped as she reached the first branch of the tree. "That was so cool!" he added and she just chuckled.

"If you have a better control of your chakra, you will be able to make three bushin for the upcoming genin exams" she said, sitting down.

"This is so awesome!" Naruto shouted and she just shook her head. "So all I have to do is apply a layer of chakra at the sole of my feet?" he asked.

"It's easier said than done, gaki" Anko said, and she appeared in a shunshin beside him. "Since you have a monstrous amount of chakra, it's going to be a bitch" she added and his eyes widened. She patted his shoulder added "I suggest that you get started. Use that kunai to mark your progress" before disappearing.

"It's just you and me" he whispered and he stared at the tree. The genin exams were coming up again, and he needed to pass. He took a deep breath and placed the kunai in his mouth. Sweat rolled down his face as his muscles tensed. "You can do this" he whispered to himself and he closed his eyes. He formed the seal, and he concentrated on his chakra. "Here I go!" he shouted as his eyes opened and with chakra on his feet, he ran towards the tree and as soon as his feet connected with the bark, he was blasted away. "Damn it!" he shouted as he was flung across the training grounds like a rag doll.

* * *

With a clone on standby, Anko walked into the Torture and Interrogation building, only to bump into Ibiki. "Morning" he said, sipping his cup of coffee. She nodded and he glanced at her. "When I heard that you took on a student, I have to say, I was surprised" he added and she turned to him.

"And where did you hear that?" she asked, stopping short. Ibiki just took a long sip of his coffee. "What's this about, Morino?" she added with narrowed eyes.

"I'm just surprised, is all. Since when do you take to brats and not to mention the Kyuubi brat at it" he said, and with clenched fists, a killing intent as deadly as the woman herself, lashed against the scarred man. However, Morino Ibiki wasn't fazed in the slightest.

"He has a name, Morino. Use it" she snarled at Ibiki who waved off the killing intent like it was child's play.

"You know I didn't mean it like that" Ibiki said and she frowned. "Besides, what is it to you what I call him?" he asked.

"It's because he's just like me" Anko whispered and the killing intent resided. She looked away and after a moment of silence, she turned away. "Don't call him that in my presence again, Morino" she added.

"Anko, be careful" Ibiki said and she glanced at him over her shoulder. "You always dive head first into things. Being a sensei to such an impressionable gaki is a big responsibility" he said and he could see the glazed look in her eyes. He knew that she was thinking about her own traitorous sensei. "You should know what it's like if you do it wrong, so don't mess up, Anko" he added and she just scoffed.

"I won't fail him like that snake did with me" she hissed and he just sighed as he watched her walk away.

* * *

Three hours had passed, and he had yet to even make a quarter up the stupid tree. He had taken off his jacket and the bandana throughout the work out. He wiped the sweat from his face and panted heavily. "Oi, I thought you could use this" Anko said, throwing a bottle of water at him. She had just arrived in a shunsin and upon seeing his state, she decided to help him. However Naruto was so exhausted he couldn't even catch the bottle and allowed it smack against his face.

"I can always count on you, sensei" Naruto said dropping to his butt. She chuckled and he lay down on the grass.

"Where did all that excitement from before go?" she asked and he grunted at her.

"All my muscles have turned to jelly and even my toenails hurt" Naruto groaned and she laughed as she sat down. He turned his head so he could look at her. "This exercise sucks" he added and she just shook her head. She looked at the tree, and arched an eyebrow. "Don't judge me" he said, closing his eyes and she just chuckled.

"So you got that far" she said, rubbing her chin. "Huh, I would think the Hokage to be would go further than that" she added, and glanced at him. He snorted at her.

"I know what you're doing and it won't work. I'm too tired to give a damn" he mumbled. She smacked her hand against his forehead and he yowled as it stung him. "What was that for!?" he shouted and sat up.

"Motivation" she said with a shrug and he frowned. "What have you learned when you're doing this exercise?" she asked as he rubbed his new red forehead.

"Too much chakra and I blast off the tree, too little, I fall to the ground" he said and she smiled.

"Ding, ding! You're not so stupid after all" she said, patting his shoulder. "So, have you tried applying the leaf concentration exercise to use here?" she asked.

"Huh" he said, looking at the tree. "In order to help me with the molding part" he whispered and she nodded. "So you're not a bad sensei after all" he added and she tapped him behind the head. "This is abuse!" he shouted at her but she just stuck out her tongue at him. "Real mature, Anko-sensei" he said and she shrugged.

"It's the only T-rated gesture I can afford to use" she said and watched as he struggled to his feet. He wobbled a little but steadied himself.

"Yosh, I'll try again" he said and placing the kunai between his teeth, he closed his eyes. He evened out his breathing, and imagined the leaf on his forehead. He grabbed hold of his chakra, as he formed the seal and commanded it to abide to his will. When he felt the layer under his feet, he opened his eyes. "Here I go!" he shouted and he took the kunai from his mouth. One step, two steps, three steps... four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten steps! With the wind blowing through his sweat slicked hair, his heart soared as he slashed against the bark with his kunai. However that was when his body jerked backward as he was blasted off the tree. He twisted in the air, before falling to the ground on all fours.

"Impressive" Anko said, standing up. Using his hands, he pushed himself upward. He clenched the kunai as he looked at the mark. Just under halfway!

"That's what I'm talking about!" he shouted and wiped the sweat from his face. Anko smiled as he flopped down on the ground once more.

"Good job, gaki" she said, looking at him. He lifted his fist in the air and she chuckled at the boy.

"I think I'm going to just take a nap now" Naruto said and with that, he immediately fell asleep. She shook her head and that was when, she picked up on something. A presence. Someone had managed to by pass the seals she had placed around the training grounds. With a flick of her wrist, she took out her kunai and nodded to one of her hidden clones.

"Look after him" she said and moved to locate the presence. She hopped onto the branches of the trees, with one thought in mind. Find the person who dared to spy on them.

* * *

"So did you find who it was?" The Sandaime asked Anko who reported to him after sending Naruto off to the Academy.

"I know from the mask that he was one of Danzo's men" she whispered, and he clenched his pipe in his hand. "How do you plan to proceed with this one?" she asked.

"When he comes to me, we'll have a talk" the Sandaime said, staring out the window. "It seems like we have a lot of catching up to do" he added.

* * *

Author's notes: With chapter nine finished, the next chapter will feature Danzo. I mean, with Anko as Naruto's sensei, I thought that Danzo would be one of the first to find out. And let me tell you, he is not pleased with the arrangement. So how will the talk between two of the most powerful shinobi in Konoha play out? All will be revealed in the next chapter.

Frostycookies


	12. Chapter 10

Chapter eleven - Things that were, things that are and the things to come

Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto

* * *

Shimura Danzo was a man with a mission as he briskly walked through the Hokage building. He had one thing in mind: the Kyuubi Jinchuriki. He wanted to turn the boy into what he was meant to become, a weapon. Konoha had an advantage over the other hidden villages, and Hiruzen didn't even have the balls to make the hard decisions. Peace had blinded the old fool, he thought as he walked up to the secretary who nearly withered under his one-eyed gaze. His presence held a certain power that demanded the attention of whomever he made contact with. "I'm here to see the Hokage" he said, and the woman nodded.

"G-go right ahead" she said, and he just nodded before walking through the doors. When the doors closed behind him, he was met with a stony faced Hiruzen.

"I haven't seen that expression on your face since the Third Shinobi war" Danzo said as he approached.

"What can I say? This meeting is going to be nothing but unpleasant since it involves my grandson" the Sandaime said and Danzo scoffed at the statement.

"Your grandson?" Danzo asked and the Sandaime lit his pipe. "Since when is he your grandson?" he added and he noticed the lack of Anbu in the room.

"Since Kushina-chan gave birth to him" Sandaime said, and Danzo chuckled. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"Is that you or the guilt talking, Hiruzen?" Danzo asked and the Sandaime's eyes narrowed. "I mean, you viewed that blonde fool as your own son, so I'm not surprised that you would feel guilty that the village he saved would try to assassinate the boy every year for his birthday" he added, and the Sandaime took the pipe from his mouth. "What would the honorable Yellow Flash think if he knew that you did nothing to protect his child?" he taunted, and clenched his cane. "And the red haired Uzumaki? What would she say if she saw her son, hated by the village, they died for?" he added.

"They would be proud of how well their son has handled his situation" the Sandaime said, and Danzo frowned. "They would be proud of his resolve and his determination to change their opinion of him. I knew Minato and Kushina more than you did, so I knew that just like Naruto, they could only see the good in things as well as the people around them" he said.

"What a load of bullshit" Danzo said and Sandaime just shook his head. "Not even the all powerful Namikaze Minato would see the good in his son's situation. The boy has suffered from the hands of the villagers since his birth" he added.

"When humans don't understand something, they get afraid. Fear impairs judgment and causes mass hysteria" the Sandaime said and Danzo just scoffed.

"You can't have it both ways, Hiruzen. That boy can never win over those idiotic villagers. They're too naïve, just like you are" he said.

"Oh? Those idiotic villagers? Aren't the villagers part of Konoha, that you always swear your dedication to?" the Sandaime asked.

"I swear my dedication to Konoha but that doesn't mean the villagers aren't idiots" Danzo said and Sandaime just shook his head.

"Your out look on life, it saddens me, Danzo" Sandaime said and turned his back on him. "Why can you only see the shadows and not the light?" he asked.

"It is only because people like me exist, that your sickening peace exists, Hiruzen" Danzo said. "Have you ever noticed how no one likes the dreary rain but loves the pretty rainbow after a summer shower? They don't even care that the world would be destroyed without the rain. Do you know why? Because humans continue to cling to their ridiculous notions that everything in life should be pretty and simple. What they don't realize, is that, it's the same light that create such shadows like myself. Humans, Hiruzen, are the silliest things in these Elemental Nations" he said.

"Like always, you're wrong, Danzo" the Sandaime said without looking at him. "We like rainbows because they're nature's reminder that no matter what happens in our life, something good will always be waiting for us, after any turbulent trial. Humans are not silly because they hope, Danzo. It's because we hope, that separates us from the beasts. Hope is such a powerful thing; it's what drives men to become heroes, Danzo. It is hope that causes us to dream, then, our dreams turn into a goal that drives us to take action instead of just accepting or even wallowing in despair. Hope creates Hokages, that's what my master taught me" he said, turning to Danzo.

"And it's what turn men into villains" Danzo said and the Sandaime frowned. "We can hope all we want, but when the reality crashes in on us that not all goals can be achieved, it sends men into the deepest insanity. Humans are fragile, Hiruzen. Once we don't get what we want, we always think we can take anything by force. That's why the shinobi world can never truly be at peace. Each village has its own goal and when another village threatens this goal, we're all ready to defend the village that we swore our lives to. That is the reality of life, Hiruzen. It's not all about the hand holding crap that your master taught you" he said.

"And I'm guessing, it's that same twisted reasoning of yours for wanting to turn Naruto into a weapon" he said, turning to the man he once called friend.

"The boy was meant to serve the village, Hiruzen" Danzo said and slammed his cane on the ground for emphasis.

"And he will do just that, as a shinobi" the Sandaime said and Danzo scowled at him. "He will not become a weapon, Danzo. Not when I'm alive" he added.

"Does the council know _that_ woman is teaching him? Seriously, Hiruzen what were you thinking letting the student of a traitor teach the boy? If this gets out to the public, it'll send the villagers in a fit. They already don't trust him, what do you think they will think of the 'demon' brat now? I'll tell you what. They'll think he'll turn on them" Danzo said, though the Sandaime could hear the threat in his voice. Suddenly, a force weighed down on the room, causing Danzo to grip his cane. If it was any other person, they would bow with the pressure, but he was not anyone! He was Shimura Danzo, damn it!

"That is why it will not get out to the council or the public" the Sandaime said, as shadows flickered across his face that seemed to be carved out of granite. The usually wise, kind Hokage had reverted to the feared Professor in a matter of seconds. "Do you understand?" he asked and Danzo just frowned.

"And why should I understand?" Danzo asked, and the weight seemed to double. "Your threats won't work on me, Hiruzen" he added.

"Since we're on the matter of secrets, shall we discuss yours then?" the Sandaime asked, and the man's lone eye narrowed. "You know what I'm referring to, Danzo" he added.

"No I don't" Danzo said and the Sandaime just chuckled though it was anything BUT friendly. He took a step forward, and Danzo stood firm.

"Well, let me refresh your memory, my dear old friend" the Sandaime said, stepping closer to the bandaged man. When he was directly in front of him, he said "I'm referring to those root members that you think I don't know about". Danzo just blankly stared at him, and the Sandaime took out the pipe from his mouth. He blew a puff of smoke in Danzo's face though the man didn't even react. "There's a reason I'm the one wearing this hat, Danzo. Did you really think that I won't know about your little scheme?" he asked.

"I don't have a single clue to what you are referring to, Hiruzen" Danzo said and the Sandaime placed his pipe back into his mouth.

"We can do this all day, Danzo but unfortunately I don't have the time" the Sandaime said and walked to his desk. "If you want to keep your little secret from the council, I suggest that you keep your mouth shut" he added and sat down on his chair. Danzo arched an eyebrow at him and the Sandaime just clasped his hands together. "You don't want to mess with me, Danzo. If you aren't careful, you'll experience first hand what makes me one of the most powerful shinobi in the Elemental Nations" he added with a smile. After a moment of silence, Danzo chuckled.

"I see" Danzo said, and turned to the door. "I'll keep your little secret, Hiruzen but don't forget that you owe me" he added.

"I owe you nothing, Danzo" the Sandaime said, leaning back on his chair. "You keep your mouth shut and I'll keep mine shut as well. It's that simple" he added, and Danzo looked back at him. "I have to warn you though. If you betray me, well, let's just say that I won't ignore your OTHER secrets" he said, and Danzo's eye narrowed. The Sandaime chuckled and the sinister sound ricocheted around the office. "Heed my warning, Danzo. Cross me and I'll crush you" he added, as his face was overshadowed by his hat. Danzo replied with a chuckle before leaving the office.

* * *

Hinata wrapped her hands around the little jar as she watched Naruto slowly descended the stair case. Since class had started, she had noticed that the blonde seemed to be in even more pain. She knew that he was training hard and she wanted to help him. So, with the knowledge of some books, she had created a special ointment. Now, it was just getting the courage to give her crush the medicine. Yes, they had become friends, but there were certain things that she still couldn't get herself to do. For example, give him a simple jar of ointment. "This is stupid!" she wanted to shout at herself, but she just bit her lips. "I'm going to do it" she thought and got up. She moved out the classroom and as she was going to call out the blonde, she had noticed that he had stopped near Haruno Sakura. Her hands trembled and she hid behind the wall. She watched as Naruto stood in front of the fallen girl who sat on the ground, with scrolls surrounding her. Besides Hinata and Naruto, the pink haired girl was one of the few that waited until all the kids left. No one was in the hallway beside the trio. Hinata peeked out and saw how Naruto's face softened at the sight of a downed Sakura. A look he would NEVER pay her. Hinata chided herself for even thinking like that, but when the blonde picked up one of the scrolls, she felt like crying. Despite the fact that Naruto had given her a little confidence, she knew that the only reason he helped her out in the first place was because of pity. But with Sakura it was always different, she knew that. He wanted to help her because he liked her; she thought and bowed her head. No matter what, she could never hold a candle to the pink haired girl who had captured her crush's heart. Anxiety threatened to knock her out but she shook her head. She had to listen to what they were saying.

* * *

Naruto stared at Sakura who couldn't even meet his eyes. Years had passed since they met and became friends on their first day of the Academy. Sakura had been his first. From his first friend to his first love, it all belonged to the pink haired girl. She had also been the first to show him what betrayal really felt like. And for those who didn't know, it felt like a million razorblades to the heart. He could see the guilt in her posture, but like always, he ignored the tension between them both by taking up one of the scrolls. He nearly cracked a smile, as they picked up the scrolls in silence. No matter what, Sakura would always be a bookworm. When she had them all in her hands, she finally looked at him. "Thank you" she whispered and he nodded. He shoved his hands in his pockets, and she studied his face. Since his change, he had not begged her for a date once. In fact, he hadn't even tried to speak to her until now. Even though she had no right to even think it, she missed the old Naruto. Now, she couldn't even look at the blonde without feeling like a worthless piece of crap. "So" she said, shifting on one leg to the next. "Your face healed" she said and he just turned away.

"Yeah" he said, and she could hear the hurt in his voice. " _ **Oh, Kami**_. Great going, Sakura" she thought. He just pulled his hood over his head and she hugged her scrolls closer. As he looked at her, she could see the disappointment in his eyes, and it made her feel even smaller than before. She had let the blonde down, and she knew that just like with Ino, things could never go back to the way they once were. "See ya later" he added, and turned to leave.

"You know, if I could change I would!" she shouted and Naruto stopped mid step. She stared at his back through her tear filled eyes.

"No you wouldn't and we both know it" he said, and his words knocked the air out of her. "Because no matter what, you would always choose Sasuke, right?" he asked, and when she didn't answer, he glanced at her. "Sakura, I just hope he's worth it" he said with a sad understandable expression on his face and with that, he left.

* * *

Hinata watched as Sakura stayed motionless in the hallway for a few seconds before finally wiping her eyes. She could see that the pink haired girl was struggling with herself, but with a forced smile, Sakura moved on. Unable to wrap her head around what happened, she nearly forgot about the ointment! She clutched the thing and dashed out the Academy. "N-N-Naruto-k-kun!" she said as she saw him walking down the street. He turned to her as she rushed towards him.

"Hinata? What are you doing?" he asked, as she pushed the ointment in his face. "What is that?" he asked.

"I-I-I-It's o-o-ointment!" she shouted with a red face. He looked at it before taking it out of her hands.

"Thank you" he said, surprised at the plum haired girl who flushed deeper. She nodded and smiled at him.

"I-I-I k-knew h-h-how h-h-hard you're t-t-training so I-I-I t-t-thought y-you c-could u-use it" she said, playing with her thumbs shyly. His eyes softened and she openly gaped at him. He ruffled her hair, and steam blew out of her ears as she blushed.

"I'll use it" he said and shoved it in his front pocket. Someone called after Hinata, and guessing from the man's pale irises, he was from the Hyuga household as well. When she looked at him he said "Go on. I'll see you tomorrow" With a meek nod, she was off. He turned as well, and with his hand brushing against the jar, he couldn't the smile on his face. He had gained another friend, and now, he didn't have to care about the past. All he had to do was look forward to the future.

* * *

Author's notes : This chapter was finished earlier than expected and I thought, what the heck, I would publish it. With chapter ten finished, the confrontation with Danzo and the Sandaime come to a close, but that's not the end of it. Danzo will be back, and just like always, he's thinking of ways to get what he wants. And how did you like the Sandaime's bad ass moment? He was always one of my favorite characters in the anime, and I wanted him to shine in this chapter. On a side note, the little confrontation with Sakura, that was unexpected, I know. You probably got the gist of Naruto's feelings when it comes to Sakura in this fic. He knows that his love for Sakura will always be one-sided because she will always choose Sasuke. However, even though he's over her and I use this expression loosely, there will always be a part of him that will be concerned about the pink haired girl. Falling out of love is always the hardest, and for all who has experienced it, can attest to that. I know that there are Sakura haters out there, but probably, when this fic is finished, you'll see her in a new light.

Until next time,

Frostycookies


	13. Chapter 11

Chapter eleven – New friends and the announcement

Disclaimer : I do not own Naruto

* * *

"Here we are again" Naruto said, cracking his knuckles. He wiped the sweat from his forehead as he had a little stare down with the tree. Kunai marks were carved into the tree, all leading up to the halfway mark. He was soaked in sweat, his face as well as his clothes were covered in dirt and grass marks. He knew he would have to shower before going to the Academy. He placed the kunai in his mouth and bit down onto the handle. He rolled his shoulders and got into position. Knees bent, hands in a seal, he closed his eyes and concentrated. "Feel the chakra" he whispered to himself, and on his command, a layer formed at the soles of his feet. He opened his eyes and pushing his legs, he darted forward. Once his right foot made contact with the bark that was all he needed. "Let's do this!" he shouted and he quickly grabbed the kunai from his mouth. It wasn't like he walked up the tree; no it was more like when someone jumped from stone to stone in a river. With large steps, he ran up, pushing himself to reach past that halfway mark. He could feel his concentration waning, and he knew he would be forced off the tree, but he performed one last step. "Come on!" he urged, and once his left foot made contact, he smirked. He twisted his body, slashed the kunai at the bark before he could feel gravity pulling him back to the ground. He flipped as he was falling and landed on all fours. The kunai, which was in his right hand, was embedded in the ground. Blood trickled from his bruised hands to the handle of the weapon until it slid down the blade itself. His lungs felt like they were compressed against each other as he tried to catch his breath. The exhaustion made his legs wobble but he stayed in his position. He lifted his head and when he saw that mark in the bark, he whooped in delight.

"Are you having a little party out here by yourself?" Anko asked and he turned to her. "If so, that's just pathetic, gaki" she added and he didn't even let her get to him.

"I just made it past halfway" he gasped and collapsed in an unsightly mess right there. He knew he only had an hour until class started, but he didn't care.

"Well, I'll be" Anko said, walking towards him. "That's something, gaki" she added and he just shot her the peace sign. "I just saw that sister of yours. She said to go over to the dango store" she said, and he propped himself on his elbows.

"Did you two make up?" he asked her. After he had made up with Ami himself, she had told him about the fight she had with Anko before. Though his sensei still frequented the shop, the two still hadn't sort out what had happened.

"She appeared at my work with a peace offering and since I'm such a forgiving person, I gracefully accepted her apology" she said and Naruto shot her a blank look.

"She gave you free dango, didn't she?" Naruto asked and laughed which earned him a smack to the head. "Abuse!" he shouted and she just rolled her eyes.

"Come on, grab my hand and let's get out of here" Anko said, offering her hand. He arched an eyebrow and moved to take said hand, but she pulled away, causing him to fall face first on the ground. She laughed and he frowned.

"That was totally uncalled for!" he said and she just pulled him up. "You love the suffering of others, don't you?" he asked as she placed his arm over her shoulders so she could prop him up.

"Of course. It's what makes life so enjoyable" Anko said and with a cackle, they disappeared in a shunshin.

* * *

After a shower, Naruto changed his clothes and applied Hinata's ointment to his hands before bandaging them on his own. He locked his door, ready to head towards the dango store, when he caught sight of none other than Rock Lee. After he freaked out when he realized that Lee was still wearing his weights and with his new training, he hadn't gotten the chance to speak to the strange genin. He wanted to apologize to the boy and he was going to do just that. "Bushy brows!" he shouted and the boy, who was talking to a girl with Chinese buns, spun around.

"Naruto-kun!" Lee warmly greeted as he saw him. He enthusiastically waved at him and jogged up to him. "I see that you're looking much better, that's good!" Lee said with a slap to the shoulders. Naruto rubbed his neck and smiled.

"Yeah, I'm better now. I wanted to apologize for what happened" Naruto said and Lee laughed.

"It's okay, Naruto-kun. I understand that you were frustrated so don't worry about it" Lee said, flashing a smile at him.

"Lee, who's your friend?" the girl asked, as she approached. Naruto took note of the forehead protector around her forehead and the one around Lee's waist.

"This was the boy I was telling you about, Tenten-chan. This is Uzumaki Naruto" He said. Naruto rubbed his neck sheepishly and greeted the older girl who smiled at him.

"Right, you're the one that crazy lady teaches" Tenten said with a sympathetic look on her face. "I feel for you" she added and Naruto chuckled.

"She's a little crazy but she's not all bad" Naruto said and Tenten arched an eyebrow at him. "Did you two just come back from a mission?" he asked, trying to divert her attention away from him.

"Yeah, though it was a D-ranked mission. I hate those stupid things" Tenten huffed and Naruto couldn't help but feel jealous. What would it be like to wear that forehead protector?

"Tenten-chan, did you forget what Gai-sensei teaches us?! Each mission is essential to our shinobi career!" Lee shouted at her.

"Yeah, yeah" she said with a roll of her eyes and Naruto chuckled as Lee went off on a mini speech about how important missions were.

"Is he always so...enthusiastic?" Naruto asked as Lee was too busy shouting about something Gai-sensei had taught him. Tenten sighed and nodded.

"Unfortunately, my sensei and Lee are the same, on a daily basis" she said and they laughed.

"Isn't great to make new friends to share such laughter with? The power of youth is so overwhelming!" he said and placed his hands on their shoulders. Tenten sighed before pulling away from her eccentric friend.

"So, Lee told me that you're training for the upcoming genin exams" Tenten said as they walked down the street together. Lee, who was in the middle of them, kept bouncing on his heels. "I must warn you though, once you pass, beware of those D-ranked missions" she added.

"What are D-ranked missions?" Naruto asked and Tenten shot him a look that translated: You don't even want to know.

"They call it missions, I call it chores" Tenten said and folded her arms across her chest. "It's basically what the villagers are too lazy to do themselves so they hire us, to do it for them" she added.

"Tenten-chan, how can you say that?!" Lee asked with a disappointed look on his face. "Even though they're not as dangerous as a C-ranked mission, D-ranked missions are so the members of a genin team can bond, thereby kindling the fire of camaraderie which then create unbreakable bonds that will forever be branded in our hearts" he said, with tears filled in his eyes.

"Wow, that was really heart felt" Naruto said and Lee nodded as he wiped his eyes. Tenten scoffed at Lee.

"Can you stop it with the drama? I swear you're more of a girl than I am" she said and Lee frowned.

"Anyway, what is like to be a genin?" Naruto asked and Lee's eyes lit up as he flashed a bright smile at him.

"It's the greatest honor a man can have!" Lee shouted and jabbed at the air. Tenten rolled her eyes at him.

"It sucks most of the time" Tenten said and Lee let out a loud gasp. "It's the truth, Lee. We're most likely weeding some old prune's garden rather than getting a mission where we can kick some bad guy's butt" she mumbled and Naruto chuckled.

"Huh, and here I thought the life of a genin promised adventure or at least some action" Naruto said and she waved her right hand in front of her face, dismissing his statement.

"Ignore her, Naruto-kun. No words can describe the feeling of such worth when you're able to wear the symbol of our beloved village, the joy that one..." Lee was saying when Tenten slapped her hand over his mouth.

"We get it, Lee. Enough with the emotional speeches" she said and then turned to Naruto. "The only thing about being a genin is the new techniques you learn and the few missions that don't suck. That's it. When you pass, you'll see that I'm right and he's wrong" she added jabbing her thumb at Lee.

"When I pass? It's more like IF I pass. I've failed twice already" he said and looked away so he wouldn't get any pitied looks from them.

"Don't worry, Naruto-kun. With a sensei like Anko-san, you'll no doubt pass" Lee said, and shot him another one of his blinding smiles. Tenten nodded.

"It's like you said, she might be crazy but she kicks ass and takes names" Tenten said with a smirk on her face.

"Why does it sound like you idolize her? Because if that's the case, I don't think Konoha can survive two of Anko-sensei" Naruto said and Tenten shook her head before forming an X with her arms.

"I respect her, there's a difference. She's the kind of kunoichi we need in the village" Tenten said and Naruto nodded.

"Speaking of your sensei, how goes your training?" Lee asked.

"Anko-sensei is helping me with my bushin, otherwise it comes out deformed" he said and Tenten chuckled.

"You have two weeks of practice, until the genin exams, right?" she asked and Naruto nodded.

"How do you feel, Naruto-kun? Are you excited?!" Lee asked and Naruto nodded. "Don't worry, all that counts is that you try your best!" he shouted.

"He's right. Just go in there, ace that exam and then when you're finished, walk out proudly with your forehead protector" Tenten said with a smile.

"Easier said than done" Naruto said and Lee patted his shoulder. He looked at the boy who had a determined look on his face.

"Gai-sensei told me about your struggles and I know deep down that you're just like me. A genius of hard work" Lee declared and Naruto couldn't help but smile at his words.

"Thanks. That made me feel better" Naruto said and Lee gave him a thumbs up. No one had ever called him a genius before and he rather liked the sound of the word. "Hey, what about getting some dango? I'm heading over to the store where I work maybe you two can drop in?" he asked the two who shared a glance with each other.

"Sure, lead the way" Tenten said and Naruto felt like he gained two more friends that he could count on. Tenten was one of the coolest girls he had ever met and he was wrong about Lee. Despite Lee's quirks; the boy was fun to hang around with. "I'm thinking that since you're the one who suggested, you should be the one to pay for us. What do you think about that, Lee?" she asked, nudging the green clad boy who grinned.

"Yosh, I think that's a splendid idea!" he shouted and Naruto frowned. "Oh, don't frown, Naruto-kun. That's such an unyouthful thing to do" he added and shared a smile with Tenten.

"Oi, that's unfair!" Naruto shouted and they just chuckled. As they fell into step, Naruto turned to them. "I've always wanted to know, what happens when the teams are formed?" he asked.

"You have a little meeting with your newly appointed jounin sensei and then you'll be told about THE test" Tenten said.

"There's another test?" Naruto asked with a groan and when she nodded, he sighed. "Tell me it's not a written one" he added.

"Gai-sensei told us that each jounin sensei's test is different from the next" Tenten said and then he frowned. "But if you get Hatake Kakashi, you should probably pray for what it's worth" she added.

"What's wrong with this Hatake Kakashi?" he asked and Lee's frown deepened at the question.

"He's our sensei's eternal rival" Lee said and looked at him.

"Whenever you're assigned to a team, most likely your jounin sensei will administer another test. You can say that's the real test, because if you fail then it's back to the Academy for another year" Tenten said and Naruto gaped.

"What!? That's so unfair!" Naruto said and they nodded, even Lee agreed that it was unfair.

"Hatake Kakashi hasn't passed any teams in the past few years, which is why we're warning you about him" Tenten said and Lee shook his head.

"Most unyouthful" he said and Naruto clenched his fists. Who the hell was this Hatake Kakashi?!

"What kind of test does he give his teams that would cause them all to fail?" Naruto asked, worried now about the prospect of getting that man as his jounin sensei.

"We don't know. Gai-sensei doesn't tell us" Tenten said with a shrug. "But it has to be pretty hard for so many people to fail" she added.

"So if he's failed so many people, why is he still a jounin sensei? Wouldn't that be a problem?" Naruto asked.

"Gai-sensei doesn't tell us much about the man. It's a sore topic with him. Besides the fact that we know he's his rival, that's all we know. The man is a mystery" Tenten said and Lee nodded.

"He's hardly seen in the village and when he does, you never even notice him until its too late. It's like he's a ghost" Lee said.

"Though on the few occasions that you do notice him, you NOTICE him. Trust me" Tenten said.

"What does that mean?" Naruto asked and Lee chuckled. "What's so funny?" he asked them.

"The man reads porn in public" Tenten announced with a look of disgust on her face. Naruto gaped and Lee laughed.

"He's never seen without that orange book of his and it drives the women especially the kunoichi crazy" Lee said.

"It's not funny, Lee. The man is an open pervert and it's disgusting!" Tenten said with a huff.

"Huh, I just hope that if I pass, I don't get him as a jounin sensei" he said, and that was when he saw the large CLOSED sign on the front of the dango store. "What? Why is the store closed?" he whispered.

"Too bad, I was looking forward to that free dango" Tenten said and smiled at him. "Maybe next time. It was great meeting you, Naruto" she said, and Naruto turned to her. "I'm going to help out my dad at his store, so I'll see you around" she added and with a wave she walked off.

"I have to head out too, Naruto-kun. I promised Gai-sensei I would meet up with him for training. Next time we will eat some delicious dango with you!" he shouted and Naruto nodded as he watched Lee dashed off. Naruto turned to the door and knocked.

"We were waiting for you!" Ami shouted when it was opened. She pulled him inside and he looked at around in confusion.

"What's going on? Why is the store closed?" he asked and that was when he noticed that they were looking at him with large grins on their faces. "You're creeping me out" he added and Ami bopped him on the head.

"We have an announcement to make!" Riku said and Ami nodded her head enthusiastically. "Each year our family has a reunion, and this time it's being held in Hacho village. For one whole day, our family gets together and have fun!" he added.

"You're going to Hacho village for a day?" Naruto asked and when they nodded, he wanted to frown.

"Technically, it's going to five days, since it will take us two days to get there, and two days to get back to Konoha" he said.

"You're going for five days?" he asked and they could hear the sad, incredulity in his voice. With a forced smile, he said "That's great".

"When Uncle Riku said we, he meant the three of us" Ami said and Naruto's eyes widened. "You're going with us!" she shouted.

"What?! How did you get jiji to agree to that?" Naruto shouted and Riku chuckled at his frenzied state.

"I had a little talk with him and he said you could come with us" Riku said and Naruto hugged him. Ami smiled at Riku who patted Naruto on the head.

"Wait, what about the Academy? I have the genin exams coming up in two weeks!" he said, pulling away from Riku.

"Don't worry about that. I spoke to Iruka-kun and we made the arrangements" the Sandaime said, and Naruto spun around the see him enter the store.

"Are you sure about this? I can really go with them?!" he asked, and when the Sandaime nodded, Naruto hugged him as well. The Sandaime chuckled when Naruto thanked him. When the Sandaime looked at Riku, he couldn't help but think about their previous discussion.

 **Previously**

 _The Sandaime was studying one of the many scrolls on his desk, when Riku entered, followed by his frazzled secretary. "I told him you were busy but he wouldn't take no for an answer" she said, but the Sandaime waved her off._

" _He's an old friend" the Hokage said and Riku chuckled at her surprised face. "You're excused" he said to her, and with a hesitant nod, she closed the door once she exited. "Why is it that I'm getting visits from old friends today?" he asked._

" _There's something I want to request from you" Riku said and the Sandaime arched an eyebrow at him. "It concerns Naruto" he added and the Sandaime straightened up._

 _"Anbu, leave us" the Hokage commanded and as graceful as water, the men in the shadows slipped away without a sound. Once the seals were activated, he asked "What about Naruto?"_

 _"You know that once every year my family comes together for a reunion. This time we're going to be united in Hacho village and I would like Naruto to come with us" Riku said and immediately a frown marred the Sandaime's face._

 _"You know I can't allow such a request, Riku. Naruto isn't allowed out of this village and that's for his own safety" he said, lighting his pipe._

 _"Why is that? Is it because the village is so safe? Are we talking about the same Konoha here? Because the Konoha I know hates him save for a few" Riku said and the frown on the Sandaime's face deepened as he took out the pipe from his mouth._

 _"He's not going out of this village, and that's that, Riku. End of discussion" the Sandaime said. Riku approached his desk and stood directly in front of him._

 _"It's not the end of discussion because I won't allow it! What do you think will happen when we leave without him?" Riku said and the Sandaime took a puff of his pipe. "He already has issues with trust and abandonment. Once we leave without him, he'll think that we don't consider him family enough to take him with us to Hacho village. And then he'll revert to the kid behind that mask of deception that he carved himself once more. Then, not even Ami or I can get through to him. Is that what you want, Saturobi" he asked, his voice rising by the minute. "If you were really his grandfather, you would know that this is the right thing to do!" he added._

 _"I am his grandfather!" the Sandaime said standing up. "And as his legal guardian I always do the right thing when it concerns young Naruto. Do you forget whose son he is?" he asked._

 _"I do know whose son he is, but the rest of the Elemental Nation doesn't know. And if Konoha knew, they wouldn't be treating him like shit!" Riku shouted._

 _"Riku, once someone gets a glimpse of Naruto, they'll instantly connect the dots, and before we know it, they'll try to get to him" the Sandaime said._

 _"They'll connect the dots? If it were that easy, then why doesn't Konoha, see what's directly under their nose?!" Riku asked, as the Sandaime moved to the window._

 _"Sometimes we see what we want to see, and ignore what's right in front of us" the Sandaime said._

 _"Wise words, Saturobi. So why don't you apply it to yourself? Why can't you see that Naruto will be hurt by this? Is his so-called safety more important than his happiness?" Riku asked._

 _"Yes! If he's dead, how can he be happy?!" the Sandaime asked, turning to him. Riku frowned and the Sandaime said "Say what you want, but as his grandfather, I always have his best interests at hand"_

 _"So why is it that your eyes are saying another story?" Riku asked and the Sandaime turned his back on him._

 _"I can't authorize this, Riku. Besides, even if I agreed, the council would throw a fit if he's allowed outside the village" the Sandaime said. Riku clenched his fists and glared at his old friend's back._

 _"You're the bloody Hokage, Saturobi!" he said and the Sandaime turned to him. "You're the one in charge or did you forget that?!" he asked._

 _"Of course I didn't forget Riku! But there are rules that even I have to abide by" the Sandaime said._

 _"Saturobi, did you forget what your master taught you? Sometimes, rules must be broken if it goes against what you believe in your heart. And in this case, you know that those rules are going against your heart. Young Naruto needs this and you know that more than anyone" Riku said and the Sandaime studied him for awhile. A deafening silence fell over them, as Riku's eyes pleaded at the Hokage, while the other man searched for something, anything to refute his claim. Finally, he gave up._

 _"Fine" he said with a sigh and Riku smirked at him. "But I'll have to assign an Anbu team to follow you in secret, just in case" he added._

 _"I don't care, as long as Naruto comes with us" Riku said and the Sandaime shook his head at him._

 _"I can see now why my sister fell for you. She had warned me about your way around words" he said, moving back to his chair._

 _"I thought it was my charming ways and handsome looks that captured her heart!" Riku said and the Sandaime chuckled as he sat back down._

 _"No, she said that you had a way with words. She said you managed to get out of a fight by putting your opponent in a deep state of depression" he said and Riku laughed as he moved to the door. "I wonder how many poor lads have suffered such an ill fate?" he asked._

 _"I have no clue what you're talking about. Hitomi-chan was always one to exaggerate" Riku said and he opened the door. "Though if you have to know, it was just the one man who made the mistake of flirting with my young, beautiful wife" he added and as he left, he heard the Sandaime laughing._

Naruto pulled away and smiled at the Sandaime. "Thank you, jiji" he said and the Sandaime nodded.

"Don't just stand there! We have to pack!" Ami shouted and grabbed Naruto's hand. "Off we go!" she shouted and Naruto allowed the excited girl to drag him out the shop. Riku and the Sandaime shook their heads as they watched them leave. Though the Sandaime couldn't help but notice the smile on Naruto's face.

"What did I tell you? The right thing to do" Riku said and the Sandaime just snorted at him.

"Now you're just gloating" he said, and Riku just laughed.

Author's notes : For those who don't know where Hacho village is, it's somewhere on the border of Fire country. Just google it and you'll immediately get an image of the place. Even though it says that it takes a few days to get to Hacho village from Konoha, it doesn't specify how many days, so I made that up on my own. Additionally, the connection between Riku and the Sandaime is revealed. Who would have thought? Though I don't think the Sandaime had a sister in canon. Finally, the conversation between Tenten, Lee and Naruto. I realize that Lee came off as a little Ooc, but I thought that hey, there's more to this guy than youth and his green jumpsuit.

Until next time,

Frostycookies.


	14. Chapter 12

Chapter twelve – Journey outside of Konoha

Disclaimer : Come on people, we've done this so many times now. It's the same as the last chapter, I don't own Naruto. Though I wish I did.

* * *

With his things all packed, he locked the door of his apartment. Last night, he had trouble getting to sleep, because he was so thrilled for the trip. He couldn't wait to get out of Konoha, though he was worried about one thing. What if their family didn't like him? Naruto shook his head as he headed towards the dango store. He would stay positive, he thought to himself. As he neared the store, he saw Anko.

"Anko-sensei, what you doing here?" he asked and she frowned. "Where is the old man and Ami-chan?" he added.

"Is that how you greet your sensei, gaki?!" she asked, smacking his forehead and he yelped.

"Why are you so mean?!" he shouted, and she just chuckled. "You know you can be kinder to me!" he added.

"I could but I won't" Anko said and his frown deepened. "And as for your question, they're still inside getting the last of their things" she added.

"You still didn't answer my first question. Why are you here, Anko-sensei?" he asked her.

"I came to see you off" she said, and he arched an eyebrow at her. "What?"She asked, ready to bite his head off.

" _You're going to miss me ~_ " he sang to her. She frowned and he cringed, waiting for the pain to come, but luckily, she didn't hit him.

"I don't think so" Anko said and turned to the sun that started to rise over the walls that surrounded the village. "I got you something" she said, taking out a storage seal and he watched as she unsealed a ball.

"Is that a joke? Why would you get me a ball? I'm not a kid, Anko-sensei" he said with a deadpan expression on his face. She rolled her eyes at him.

"It's to help with your chakra control. Since you're going to be away from the village for five days and the genin exam is coming up, you'll need all the help you can get" she added, and he looked at the strange, red ball.

"How will this help with my chakra control?" he asked, looking at the red ball that was as big as his hands.

"Focus chakra into it" she said and he placed the ball between his hands. He did as was told but nothing happened. She took it from his hands, and she said "Nothing happened because you didn't concentrate the right amount of chakra into the ball. If you did, this would have happened" His eyes widened as the ball floated in mid air.

"Amazing!" he gasped, as she dropped the ball, before it snapped back into her hands, just like a yo-yo.

"This is something I had one of my friends create just for you" Anko said, cutting off the chakra she fed to the ball. It plopped into her hands, and she placed it into his. He looked at the thing like it was some precious treasure he had just found.

"You have friends?" he asked, snapping out of his thoughts and it earned him a smack behind the head. "Ow!" he shouted at her but stopped when he saw her concerned eyes.

"Be careful out there, gaki" she said, ruffling his hair. "I know you've had a hard time here in Konoha, but out there, the world is a lot worse" she added, and he nodded. "Don't slack off on your training, look after those two, and don't forget everything I taught you" she said.

"Wow, you sound like Ami-chan" Naruto said and she just rolled her eyes. "But thanks for worrying about me" he added. She scoffed but he could see the happiness in her eyes.

"Like I would be worried about a little squirt like you" she said, placing her hands on her hips. "I have better things to do with my time" she added.

"Oh, like collecting victims to torture?" he asked and she just chuckled. "You didn't deny it" he added.

"Hey, it's a living" she said, and he just shook his head. That was when Riku and Ami walked out of the store.

"Anko-san, did you come to see me off?" Riku asked and Ami as well as Naruto shouted pervert at him. "Oi, that's not how you treat your elders!" he complained but they weren't listening to him.

"You came to see off, Naruto-kun, right?" Ami asked Anko as Riku locked the store. Anko nodded and Ami smiled at her.

"What's with that grin on your face?" Anko asked and Ami just shrugged like she knew something that Anko didn't know.

"It's just nice to see such a strong bond between sensei and student" she said clasping her hands. Anko and Naruto snorted at the same time. This seemed to cause Ami's grin to grow wider.

"Anyway, gaki, come home in one piece because we only have a few days to work on your bushin" Anko said, turning to Naruto. Naruto nodded at her. "I hope you all have a good trip" she said and with that, she left with a shunshin.

"Well, let's go meet with the caravan!" Riku said, joining them. Naruto glanced at the dango store once more before they walked down the street. "Don't worry gaki. It'll still be there when we return" he added as he glanced at him. Ami ruffled Naruto's hair and he smiled.

"I know. It's just so exciting. I'm actually getting to go out those gates!" Naruto said, clutching the straps of his backpack.

"It's nothing really. Once we're out there in the hot sun, all that excitement will dissipate" Riku said with a chuckle as they headed to the gates.

"Uncle Riku is right, Naruto-kun. Once we get out the gates, all you're going to see are trees" Ami said, as she adjusted her own pack. "It's called the land of Fire, but all the eye can see are trees" she added and they chuckled.

"Is that them?" Naruto asked, as the merchant caravan came into view, with around thirty people crowded together. He gulped and Riku patted his head.

"Don't worry. They don't even know who you are" Riku said and Naruto relaxed. "And we're travelling with them only to Tanazuku Gai, since they're heading in another direction" he added.

"Tanazuku Gai? What is that?" Naruto asked and Ami frowned. "What is it?" he asked her.

"It's a place only for adults" Ami said and Naruto just 'oohed' at her. "And no, we're not stopping there. In fact, we're not even entering the city" she added.

"Are you Riku-san?" one of the men asked, as they neared the caravan, he could see that the crowd consisted of varying people of different ages. Naruto even saw a woman holding a baby in her hands. Riku nodded and they all bowed at each other.

"We aren't late, are we?" Riku asked and the man shook his head at him. The man, had short black hair and a fairly handsome face, with modest clothes despite the fact he was the lead merchant of the caravan.

"No, you all are right on time. We were just waiting for everyone to gather before we set out" he said with a smile. They walked over to the group and the man moved in front of the caravan.

"I want to just get a few rules clear before we set out on the road" he said, and everyone looked at him. "With this caravan, we leave no one behind so stay close. We don't want any fighting and please, just look after your neighbor. You never know how far an act of kindness can take you" he said, and with that, they nodded. "Yosh, then let's go!" he said and they set out. The women rode on the caravan, while the men including Riku walked.

"Are all these people merchants?" Naruto asked Riku. He walked beside Riku whilst the other men had already settled into little groups, most likely with people they knew.

"No, most of the people here, are travelling like we are" Riku said and Naruto nodded. His eyes fell on the large wooden gates at the entrance, and he clutched onto the straps of his backpack tighter. As the gates slowly opened with a loud groan, his heart sped up. Riku chuckled at him and patted his head. "So, did you say goodbye to the Hokage?" he asked.

"Yeah, last night he helped me pack" Naruto said, though his eyes were strained on the gates. Once they were open, he gaped at the scenery. "Amazing" he whispered.

"Come on, Naruto. Don't space out" Riku said, and gave his hand a tug. Naruto nodded and they walked past the guards who made note of him. Even though they couldn't see his tell tale blonde hair that was hidden because of the hood, they knew that it was him. Who else was that short? And only Naruto was so close with Riku and Ami. Naruto didn't glance at them. He kept his head straight and Riku placed his hand on his shoulder. As soon as they walked past them, he released the breath he didn't know he was holding. "You did good, gaki" Riku said and Naruto could only smile.

* * *

"That boy keeps staring at me" Naruto whispered. Riku looked up, and saw a boy around maybe fifteen with bright orange hair indeed, focused on the blonde. He wore clothes that Riku knew were traveler's clothes. He wore a sleeveless, blue shirt with tan pants and sandals. He had a bag hung over his shoulders and bandages ran from his hands to his elbows. He had a strange feather and bead accessory in the front of his hair. When he saw Riku staring at him, he turned his head away.

"He's just curious" Riku said though his eyes were now pealed on the boy. "So, what do you think about the open road so far?" he asked the blonde.

"It's okay" Naruto said and waved at Ami who was looking at them. She smiled and returned the wave.

"You know you'll have to take off that jacket soon enough, right? Or else you're going to roast. Especially around mid day, when the sun is at its highest peak in the sky" Riku said, and Naruto pulled off the hood.

"I didn't even think about that" Naruto mumbled and Riku chuckled. "I guess you really are a traveler, huh, old man?" he asked.

"Of course I am. I've been nearly everywhere in the Elemental Nations. I've seen it all, gaki" he said.

"What is your favorite place?" Naruto asked, ready to hear one of the man's infamous stories.

"I'll let you in on a secret, my boy. Even though the places change, the people are the same" Riku said.

"I don't think so" Naruto said and Riku arched an eyebrow at him. "Jiji always told me that everyone is different, that we have our own unique colors" he added.

"Oh, so you believe that old, senile man instead of me?" Riku asked and Naruto spluttered at him. "I'm joking, gaki" he said and Naruto frowned as Riku laughed.

"This is serious, old man" Naruto huffed and Riku just smirked. "Do you really think that people are the same?" he asked.

"Not everyone. For example, I've never met a kid like you before. Even though you remind me of my son, you're completely different from him in certain ways" Riku said and he knew he had gotten the blonde's full attention. "You're stronger than he ever was" he added, and Naruto looked at the ground. "I believe that even if you had been diagnosed with his disease, you wouldn't have given up like he did" he said.

"Don't say that, old man" Naruto said, though he didn't look at Riku. "With a dad like you, I knew that he certainly tried his best to live" he added and Riku's eyes widened. "I know that, because if he thought like me, he wouldn't give up if you were there supporting him. That's what I believe and you should too" he said and Riku's eyes softened before he ruffled his hair.

"Thank you, Naruto" he whispered and Naruto pretended like he didn't see the few tears that fell down the man's cheeks.

* * *

Author's notes : First off, I want to admit something. I have no clue what happens when civilians leave the village. No clue, so if I got it wrong, sorry about that. Secondly, the ball thing. I made that up. I just thought that if Naruto was leaving and with the genin exams so close, Anko would ensure that he had something to train with when he was away. And finally, who was that boy ready to chew Naruto's head off? I have to admit, when I made his character up, I had Ichigo in mind. No,this is NOT a crossover so it's not Ichigo. Oh, before I forget, I have another surprise coming up. It's going to be good, so look out for that in the upcoming chapters.

Frostycookies.


	15. Chapter 13

Chapter thirteen – On the road to Hacho village

Disclaimer : I don't own anything remotely related to the series.

* * *

It wasn't even mid day and the sun was already burning holes into his skin. Naruto had shed his jacket, and only wore his white loose, shirt that he always wore underneath. "Alright, people, we've made it to Tanazuku Gai!" the leader said as the caravan stopped in front of the city. "This is where some of us splitting up and to you all, I wish you a good trip" he said. Ami approached them and she chuckled at the Naruto who was drenched in sweat.

"That's a good look for you" she teased and he just sipped his water. That was when the leader walked over to them.

"Riku-san, I wanted to ask you something" he said, and Riku nodded. "One of the other travelers is headed to Hacho village as well. I thought maybe you could travel with him" he added.

"Sure, more the merrier!" Riku said and the man beamed at him. On cue, he gestured towards the orange haired boy who had a scowl on his face. "Oh" he added and the leader heard him.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, with a confused look on his face. Riku shook his head with a nervous chuckle.

"No, of course not" he said and Ami arched an eyebrow at her Uncle. She turned to Naruto who whispered that he would tell her later.

"Ah, Dai-san, this is Riku-san and his family" the leader said, and Dai stiffly bowed at them. "Since you're all heading towards the same place, I suggested that you travel with them" he added and Dai seemed to scowl at them.

"That's okay" Dai said, and Ami frowned. "I mean, I don't want to intrude" he said and the leader just smiled.

"It's no problem, Riku-san already agreed" the leader said and Riku tried not to sigh at the situation. He could already feel the tension between Dai, Naruto and Ami. "I wish you four a safe trip and I hope we can meet again" he said and they bowed. They watched as the leader rejoined the caravan.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Dai-san" Riku said turning to Dai who tightened his hold on his strap bag. "This is my family, Ami and Naruto" he said, and Naruto grew shamefaced at the sentence. Ami chuckled at his reaction.

"Nice to meet you" Dai said and when his eyes met Naruto's, it hardened. Naruto refused to cower under his gaze, and stood firm.

"If you don't mind, I think we should get going" Riku said and Dai turned to him. "The sooner we get to Hacho village, the better" he added with a polite, yet strained smile.

"I agree" he said, and with that, he walked off. Ami huffed at him but Riku shook his head at her.

"Let's just get to Hacho village" Riku said and smiled at them. "Besides, we shouldn't judge him. Maybe he's not so bad" he added as they walked after the man.

* * *

"You were right, Uncle Riku. He's much worse" Ami whispered and Naruto nodded. Dai had made sure to walk in front of them, refused to hold any conversations with them and in general, he didn't look like he even acknowledged their presence. It was already noon, and they had stopped three times already. Though they offered Dai food, the orange haired boy refused. In fact, they were so uncomfortable in his company that they kept the breaks short. Naruto tried to shield himself under her umbrella, but she gently shoved him away.

"Why are you stingy, Ami-chan" he pouted and she frowned at him. "What?" he asked her.

"You're sweaty, that's why" she said and he gasped in mock hurt. "This lady doesn't want any of your sweat on her" she added, turning her nose in the air.

"Lady? Where is she?" he asked and she bopped him on the head. When she saw the gleam in his eyes, she knew that he was out to get her.

"No!" she shouted as he moved to rub his face on her. She ran away from him and he laughed. "Stop it!" she said, trying to hit him with the umbrella, but he dodged it.

"That's enough you two" Riku said, pulling them apart as he noticed Dai staring at them. "Naruto, didn't you tell me that Anko-san gave you something to train with?" he asked and Naruto reluctantly nodded. He took out the ball as they resumed their walk down the road.

"I can't use it constantly or it'll tire me out and the last thing you would want is me, unable to walk" Naruto said, and looking at the ball.

"What is it supposed to do?" Ami said, as he placed it in his hands. "I've seen you staring at that a while back" she added.

"I'm supposed to channel my chakra into it and it'll float" he said and she shot him a look that translated 'Are you sure about that?' "But, since I'm not channeling the right amount, it doesn't do anything" he said.

"Sounds hard" she said and he nodded. "How does this help you with your exams next week?" she asked.

"To perform any jutsu, you need to mold a specific amount of chakra especially for the one that they'll be testing us on. And since I have too much chakra and no control over it, I can't perform the jutsu properly. That is why Anko-sensei is helping me so I can pass" Naruto said.

"Why do you want to become a shinobi?" Dai asked, and it was only then that they realized that he had slowed down so he was in closer range. Naruto didn't like the way he asked him the question. His tone was only filled with disgust.

"To protect my village" Naruto said, and Dai's scowl deepened. "Do you have a problem with that?" he asked, allowing the hostility he felt into his voice.

"Why would you want to protect something like _Konoha_?" Dai asked and Naruto's temper flared.

"Calm down, Naruto" Riku said, placing his hand on his shoulder. "Getting angry will solve nothing" he added.

"I want to protect Konoha because it's my precious home" Naruto said, tightening the rein on his emotions.

"Oh, if you say it like that, then I understand" Dai said with a sarcastically bitter tone of voice. "Let me ask you, who will protect the other villages from Konoha?" he asked. At Naruto's confused face, Dai just shook his head. "You're just a naïve kid who thinks he can wear big boy pants. You're not ready for reality, shrimp" he said, walking off. Riku had to hold back Naruto as the blonde tried to rush the orange haired boy.

* * *

In the late afternoon, they decided to camp near one of the many rivers that flowed through the Land of Fire. They each delegated their own tasks and in the end, Naruto collected the firewood, Riku set up the tents, Dai had volunteered to hunt, whilst Ami decided to clean herself up. He dropped the branches on the ground and looked around the makeshift camp site. "I'll start on dinner with what we have, so you can go take a bathe" Ami said approaching him.

"Alright" he said, moving to his backpack. Taking up all he needed for his bath, he walked down the bank, making sure to walk further down until he was far away from the camp site. When he thought that it was far enough, he took off his sandals and took off his shirt. The sweat from the day's walk had made his skin itchy. He shed his clothes, before running into the water. When the coldness made contact with his skin, he hissed. However he sucked it up and emerged himself in the water. He took a deep breath and ducked his entire body into the rushing waters of the river. When he opened his eyes, he could see the rocks at the bottom of the river bed, a few fishes as well as some weeds that were pushed against the force of the currents. He pushed himself back up to the surface and when he could breathe again, he coughed up a little water. He allowed the water soothe the sun burns and heal his aching muscles.

* * *

When he was finished, he walked back to the campsite, wearing fresh new clothes that consisted of a blue jacket that was similar to his red one, and black pants. However he didn't wear his bandana. His hair was still wet and he had a white towel around his neck. Riku had met him halfway with his own bathing utensils in his hands. "You're finished? I thought I could get you to scrub my back" Riku said.

"In your dreams, old man. I don't ever want to see that wrinkly back of yours" Naruto teased and Riku pushed his head down. Naruto smiled as he fought off Riku's hand.

"When I'm away, try not to fight with Dai-san" Riku said, removing his hand from Naruto's head. "Promise me, Naruto" he sternly said.

"I promise" Naruto said and Riku ruffled his hair. "I'll try not to murder him where he stands" he added and Riku just shook his head as he walked off.

"Behave" Riku said and Naruto just chuckled before heading back to the campsite. When he got there, he saw Dai skinning and gutting two rabbits. Ami was chopping up some ingredients and she smiled at him as he put away his stuff, though he kept the towel around his neck. Dai looked up and took in his now visible blonde hair.

"Do you think you can help me?" she asked and he nodded. He walked towards her, and took hold of another knife. "Thank Kami for Anko-san. She was nice enough to give us some storage seals" she added as they worked together.

"Usually Anko-sensei and nice don't go together" he mumbled and Ami just smiled at him. "So she said that you bribed her with dango" he added.

"I did not bribe her. I just happened to have dango with me when I went to apologize" she said.

"Yeah, that's believable" he said and she nudged him with her shoulder. " Can you tell me about your family?" he added.

"Well there's Uncle Masa, he is the first borne as well as the oldest though he's just as strong as Uncle Riku. His wife died, though he has three sons and one daughter. His children Ryo, Shin, Satsuki and Tsukiko are each married whom you'll meet. Ryo, the oldest who's already forty five is married to Katsumi and they have two kids. The boy, Ichirou is sixteen and the girl, Keiko is fourteen. Shin who is thirty is married to Rika and they have only one child. Their daughter is only ten and her name is Momo. Then there's Satsuki, twenty six is married to Nana, though they don't have any kids of their own as yet. Uncle Masa's daughter, who is also Satsuki's twin sister, is Tsukiko who is married to Tadashi and they have a three year old son, Sora." She said and Naruto was gaping at her.

"That's just one brother?" he asked in an incredulous voice. Ami smiled and nodded at him.

"Yeah but even though Uncle Masa has four children, the second son, Uncle Ken doesn't have so much. He's married to Aunt Miwa and they only have one daughter, Momoe. She's already thirty years old and she's married to Akira. She's six months pregnant with their first child. Then there's the last brother. Uncle Daichi isn't married nor does he have any kids of his own" she said, and Naruto stopped what he was doing.

"What about your parents?" Naruto asked, and he watched as she stilled at the question. "How are you related to the old man?" he added.

"My father was Uncle Riku's twin brother" Ami said and Naruto's eyes widened at the statement. "And if you should know, my parents passed away, Naruto" she whispered and Naruto placed his hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry" he said and she nodded. They stayed in silence for awhile, until Dai broke it as he slapped the rabbit carcasses in front of them. Ami frowned and Naruto looked at him.

"Now that Riku-san is finished, I'm going to take a bath" he said and they finally noticed Riku approaching wearing fresh clothes as well. Riku nodded at Dai who just walked past him.

"He's so grumpy" Ami said and Naruto couldn't help but nod.

* * *

Author's notes: And the name of Ichigo's look-a-like is revealed! His name is Dai and like Ami said, he's grumpy. But that's not all that's been revealed, is it? We learned about Ami and Riku's family, and I have to say, when I was writing this chapter, I nearly lost my mind. The amount of names, and characters I had to come up with, not to mention creating a vision, in my head, of what the characters would like when the time came. *sighs* It was a roller coaster, but I enjoyed the ride ^.^ About the surprise. it will come...so be patient. Oh! Before I forget, I just want to remind you, as I've said before, I have no idea what happens when civilians leave the villages, so I had to come up with that as well. Well, that's it, so until next time.

Frostycookies.


	16. Chapter 14

Chapter fourteen – A clash of beliefs

Disclaimer : You guessed it, I don't own the series.

* * *

An intense awkward silence descended on their makeshift camp, as they waited for the supper to finish. Naruto was working with his ball, Riku was helping Ami with the food and Dai was sitting far away, writing something on the ground with a stick he found from the forest. He had been working on the ball for nearly an hour, and yet the thing didn't even float a little. He huffed and then looked up, only to see Dai looking at him. "What?" he asked clearly annoyed.

"Nothing" Dai grunted and went back to whatever it was he was doing. Naruto wanted to punch that orange haired bastard in the face, but he knew that Riku was studying his every move, so he just rolled his eyes before going back to the ball. He closed his eyes, and just like he did with the trees, he reached deep within himself for his chakra. When he had a hold on it, he pushed it to his hands and into the ball. Just when he felt like he was getting it, that orange haired bastard sneezed. His right eye cracked open and Dai looked at him. "What?" he asked.

"Nothing" Naruto barked and closed his right eye. He tried again, only for the bastard to start humming. "Are you serious right now?" he asked, standing up.

"What, am I bothering you?" Dai asked, standing up as well. Lightning seemed to crackle between the two until Riku intervened.

"Naruto, why don't you help us" Riku said, pulling Naruto at the side and out of ear shot from Dai. "What did I tell you?" he asked Naruto who frowned at him.

"Not to fight" he said and Riku nodded. "It's just, something about him bugs me" Naruto added.

"I don't care that you don't like him, I just want you to tolerate him" Riku said and Naruto looked at the orange haired boy. "But I'm a little surprised, normally you like everyone you meet" he added.

"He reminds me of someone" Naruto said through gritted teeth. Riku arched an eyebrow. "He has the same eyes" he whispered.

"It still doesn't atone for your actions. No more fighting" Riku said as Ami soon joined them.

"Uncle Riku's right. We should try to get along with him no matter how much I want to smash my fist into that obnoxious skull of his" she said and they turned to her at the same time. "What?" she innocently asked.

"I think you shouldn't be handling any sharp weapons" Naruto said and they chuckled. "Remind me, never to piss Ami-chan off" he said to Riku.

"I would steer clear of her once you make her crazy, my boy. Women are scary when they want to be" Riku said.

"That's right. Take note, Naruto-kun. You should never anger your big sister" she said, ruffling his hair.

"Why is it that whenever the three of us get together, it ends up in some sort of touchy-feely moment?" Riku asked with a smile on his face.

"It's because we're family. That's what we do" Ami said and Riku just shook his head at her.

"Can we get back to cooking now?" he said and then turned to Naruto. "You, mister, must be on your best behavior" he said and Naruto shot him a mock salute. "Cheeky brat" he added and Naruto laughed before going off to practice again. He made sure to sit far away from Dai and didn't even turn his head in the boy's direction. He had to focus on his training, so he closed his eyes.

* * *

Dai looked at the blonde haired kid and he couldn't help the frown on his face. If it was one thing he hated, it was shinobi. They were all the same in his mind, covetous, repugnant human beings that preyed on the weak. And seeing the boy ready to throw his life away in such a profession annoyed him. From what he gathered, the boy himself wasn't so bad but he could never forgive any shinobi, even the ones in training. He had heard when the boy mentioned his sensei to Riku and he knew then that the boy was one of the young children that had been brainwashed to believe that the life of a shinobi was an honorable thing. Honorable was the last word you would associate with shinobi. They were all treacherous liars that would turn on their comrades for the sake of their own selfishness. Unable to take it anymore, he dropped the stick on the ground. "Do you understand what a shinobi means?!" he shouted, with vehemence.

"Yes, I do. It means protecting the things that are important to me" Naruto said, looking at him. "Why do you have a problem with Konoha and shinobi?" he asked.

"Because it was hidden villages like Konoha that destroyed my own village" he stated and his eyes widened at the confession. "Even though they tell you that it's a privilege to serve your village, there's a price. Do you know what happens to other villages when they are even seen as a threat to the great shinobi villages like Konoha?" he said, and Naruto shook his head. "They are annihilated" he stated and the words danced around the fire of the camp.

"That's a lie!" Naruto shouted, standing to his feet. The Hokages, including his jiji would never commit such an act. They would never take lives for that reason.

"It's true!" Dai shouted back. "Shinobi are all alike. Even though you think they're so cool and heroic, it all comes down to one thing. They're all murderers!" he shouted and Riku had to hold back Naruto.

"Shinobi are protectors!" Naruto shouted and Dai scoffed at him. "You're a liar!" he added.

"Then, if you were the Hokage and someone threatened your village, what would you do?" Dai asked and Naruto's anger drained away from his body. "Would you protect Konoha at the cost of the lives that dared to put your village in danger?" he asked. His words felt like a large rock had been deposited onto his head. Coldness like the one he felt in the river had settled over him, dulling the world into a sickly grey. Nothing made sense anymore as Dai's words kept replaying in his mind. Riku had warned him that becoming Hokage would mean he would have to make hard decisions but what Dai was asking him was much worse. Would he slaughter in the name of Konoha? His hands shook and when he looked at Dai, the boy's eyes bored into his own. "Once there is shinobi, the Elemental Nations will forever be at war. There will never be peace" he added and walked off. Naruto couldn't even defend his village or what it meant to be a shinobi. He just stood there, staring at the fire as it crackled away. What did it mean to be a shinobi? Naruto didn't even know anymore. That was when a hand landed on his shoulder.

"You okay?" Riku asked as Naruto looked at him. "Don't let what he said make you despondent, Naruto" he added and Naruto just looked at Dai's retreating back as he entered his tent. "Come on and help us finish up dinner" he said, and with a nod, he followed after Riku.

* * *

"You should be sleeping, it was lights out hours ago" Riku said, exiting his tent. Naruto was sitting on one of the logs, bathed in the light of the large, round moon. He listened to the wind as it seemed to sing against the leaves of the trees. A nearby owl hooted and he could almost see those yellow large eyes staring at him. After a quiet dinner, everyone went to bed. However, sleep would not come to the young blonde. When he closed his eyes, he could still hear Dai's words in his mind. Riku sat down beside him and pulled down Naruto's hood. "Didn't I say not to let his words bother you?" he asked, looking at him.

"I can't help. They do bother me" Naruto said, placing his chin on his knees. "Do you know the worst part? I didn't even have an answer. My mind was just blank" he added as he stared at the moon.

"You're not perfect, but what human is? You're not required to know all the answers, Naruto" Riku said and Naruto frowned.

"How can I not know when I even fought Ami-chan over becoming a shinobi?" Naruto asked and Riku patted his head.

"Sometimes we just don't have the answers right away, Naruto" Riku said and Naruto looked away. "What does being a shinobi mean to you?" he asked.

"It means getting stronger so I can protect you and Ami-chan. It means that I won't lose you two, it means recognition, hope and my dreams" Naruto said, and Riku nodded.

"Exactly, so don't let anyone tell you something else. If that's your definition of a shinobi, you follow that path and don't stray from it. You believe in your shinobi way and screw what everyone else thinks" Riku said and Naruto softly smiled at him.

"If you don't like the situation you're faced with, change it. You told me that a year ago" Naruto said and Riku nodded.

"Only you can bring about the change you wish to see. Always remember that, Naruto" Riku said, standing up. "So are we done with this heart to heart? Can we get some sleep now?" he asked in a teasing tone of voice. Naruto chuckled and nodded.

"Thanks old man" Naruto said and with that, they went to sleep.

* * *

At the break of dawn, they were already up and ready to get going again. "Oh, I can't wait to see everyone!" Ami chirped as they made their way to road once more. As usual, Dai had walked ahead of them with the three in a fair distance from him. "I just know they'll love you like we do, Naruto!" she added and Naruto bashfully smiled.

"You're making him all shy" Riku said and laughed as Naruto spluttered at him. "But she's right you know. They'll love you" he added.

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked, and they could hear the uncertainty in his voice. "I mean, I'm awesome and everything but you know, I have to be sure" he added with a cheeky smile.

"Yeah, they'll love you but I have to warn you. Our family is a little...boisterous" Ami said and Riku chuckled.

"He'll fit right in" Riku said, patting his head.

* * *

Author's notes: And coming up, we get to meet the family! ^.^ As for the chapter, I needed you all to get an idea of why Dai's so grumpy, and it's crucial to the surprise as well as the story.

Frostycookies


	17. Chapter 15

Chapter fifteen – Meet the family

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

"Is that Hacho village?" Naruto asked. The sun was slowly setting as they finally made it to the large gates. He looked at the guards who stood at the entrance, stopping all those who wanted to enter the village. Even though they didn't look like shinobi, they wielded weapons. Once they showed the guards their papers, they were allowed into the village. Despite the fact that it was classified as a small village, he couldn't help but feel amazed at the large size. There were a lot of steep rocks surrounding the village, and it felt like they weren't in the land of Fire anymore.

"Nice right?" Riku asked as they watched the shimmering lake in the distance. Ami smirked at the awe stricken Naruto.

"It's great" Naruto breathed out. However the moment was ruined with Dai's signature scowl. Ever since their fight, the two hadn't made up. In fact, they didn't even look at each other. Naruto refused to apologize and Dai would rather eat rocks than admit he was wrong.

"Well, we made it, Dai-san" Ami said with a tight smile on her face. "This is where we part" she added.

"Are you meeting someone here in the village?" Riku asked and Dai nodded. "Well, I hope we run into each other before we leave" he added.

"Yeah" Dai said, though he didn't mean it. He glanced at Naruto whose eyes narrowed. "Later" he added and walked off, like he hadn't just spent two days with them.

"That little..." Ami hissed but Riku stopped her. At his stern stare, she forced a smile on her face.

"Let's get to the inn" Riku said and Ami's eyes lit up. He slapped Naruto on the shoulder. "Naruto, my boy, get ready to meet the family" he added and Naruto's stomach flopped a little.

* * *

As they stood in front of the inn, Naruto felt nervous. Ami shot him a reassuring smile and as they moved to enter, a cute little boy launched himself on Ami. Naruto stepped back as the boy with short ebony hair fiercely hugged her legs. "Sora-chan!" Ami shouted in glee and picked up the boy who giggled as Ami kissed his chubby cheeks.

"How many times have I told you not to do that, Sora-kun" his mother, Tsukiko chided as she approached them. "Uncle Riku!" she greeted and she hugged the older male. Tsukiko had light brown hair with flicks of copper in it, a round face, a cute button nose and black eyes that focused on Naruto as soon as she pulled away from her uncle. "So this must be the infamous Naruto. Nice to meet you" she said with a warm smile and Naruto bowed. She giggled before turning to her Uncle. "He's too cute, Uncle" she said and Naruto blushed.

"Should Tadashi-kun be worried?" a tall man with caramel colored hair asked as he approached holding a little girl's hand. "Uncle Riku, it's nice to see you again and Ami-chan, you look more manly than ever" the man joked and chuckled at Naruto's wide eyes. Riku shook the man's hand and Ami smacked him upside the head.

"You're lucky you're my cousin, Shin or I would've killed you for that comment" Ami joked and cooed over the shy ten year old Momo who had lilac hair. Momo shied away from Ami and blushed when Naruto turned to her.

"I would've done it already" Tsukiko said and Shin rolled his eyes as he hugged Ami. "Older brother or not, you don't disrespect a woman" she huffed.

"And you must be Naruto" Shin said, turning to Naruto who awkwardly bowed at him. Shin threw his head back and laughed, only for someone to bop him on the head. A man, who was taller than most of the men there, stepped forward. He had auburn hair and unlike Shin whose hair fell to his shoulders in a loose ponytail, the man had short hair. The man's eyebrows were knitted together, and he had a scowl on his face that added to his intimidating features.

"Don't be rude" he said with a deep voice. When he looked down at Naruto, the blonde felt so small compared to the man's large stature. "Nice to meet you, young Naruto. Uncle Riku told us a lot about you" he said bowing and Naruto quickly returned the gesture.

"You're such a kill joy, Ryo nee-san" Shin said with a pout and that was when Naruto noticed the pretty lady beside Ryo. She had silky black hair pinned in a bun, flawless pale skin and pink lips that matched the kimono she wore. A gentle, ladylike aura surrounded her as she smiled at him.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Katsumi" she said and they bowed. "Uncle Riku, you look well" she added and Riku kissed her both cheeks before shaking his nephew's hand.

"I told you they had arrived but you didn't want to listen to me!" someone shouted and Naruto stared at the young male version of the woman. Though he had short hair, he was the spiliting image of his mother, making him one of those bishounen the girls in his class always cooed over. The girl, who had done the shouting, had her father's auburn hair and stern facial features, though she was still pretty. She had her hair loose and the gentle waves fell past her shoulders.

"Keiko-chan, a lady must be seen not heard" her Aunt Rika chided her but Keiko just huffed. Rika, who had pale blonde hair joined her husband's side and bowed. "It's nice to see you again" she addressed Riku who just hugged her.

"So you're the squirt Uncle Riku was talking about" Keiko said, walking around Naruto in a circle. "You're short" she added and Naruto frowned.

"What my sister was supposed to say was, nice to meet you" Ichirou said and Keiko rolled her eyes at him. "You shouldn't be making fun of his height, Keiko. You're the shortest one here" he added.

"Nice to meet you too" Naruto said, but the siblings didn't hear him because they were to busy arguing.

"They're always like that, don't take it to heart" a male version of Tsukiko said, though the only difference was, Satsuki had three beauty marks near his right eye. His wife, Nana had short dark brown hair that framed her face. She was the tallest of all the women and had dimples that showed up when she smiled at them. "Hello" Satsuki said and Naruto bowed.

"I was wondering when you and Nana-chan would join the party outside here" Riku said with a chuckle and Satsuki hugged his Uncle.

"Our family will never know the meaning of subtlety" Satsuki said and Riku hugged Nana who giggled at the compliment he paid her.

"Why is everyone out here?" a woman with a swollen belly asked. She had brown hair and eyes that lit up when she saw Riku as well as Ami. "Uncle Riku, Ami-chan!" she greeted them.

"Wow, Momoe-chan, you look fat" Ami teased as she carefully hugged her cousin who rolled her eyes at her.

"Don't. Shin played that card as soon as we got to the inn" Momoe said as she hugged Riku. She turned to Naruto and gushed at him. "You're such a little sweet pea!" she shouted and a tall man with black hair stopped her.

"The hormones have turned her into a hugging monster, forgive my lovely wife" Akira said and Naruto nervously chuckled. "Nice to meet you, I'm Akira and this is Momoe-chan" he added and Naruto bowed.

"Ah yes, hormones" someone said walking towards them with an older couple. "They are nasty little buggers" the man added. His hair, the color of sand shimmered in the sun as he approached. Strange enough, his eyes were the same color. He picked up his son, Sora who immediately wanted his attention. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Tadashi" he said, with a smile and Naruto bowed at the man.

"Is that you, Riku? I nearly didn't make you out with that ugly mask on your face" the bald man said. He had the longest beard Naruto had ever seen with matching eyebrows that rivaled even Rock Lee's. In fact, they had covered both of his eyes. "Oh, wait. That's just your face" he cheekily added.

"Why you...!" Riku said, and the bald man just chuckled. "It's good to see you too, aniki" he added and they laughed before embracing each other. The old woman by side, no doubt his wife had black hair streaked with grey and wrinkles at the corner of her eyes. However despite her age, her face wasn't caked in age lines as yet. "And you must be Naruto" Uncle Ken said turning to him and Naruto bowed. Uncle Ken placed his hands on Naruto's shoulders. "Hmm, strong heart, seems confident and honest" Ken stated and Naruto arched an eyebrow at him.

"Forgive him. He thinks he can read a person's aura" his wife, Miwa said with a smile. "Nice to meet you, Naruto" she added and he bowed his head.

"Don't worry, its rubbish" someone said and they turned to the strictest person Naruto had ever seen. He wore a pair of thin, clear glasses, had a receding hair line and there wasn't a single facial hair on his face. He had sharp blue eyes that Ryo inherited from him and just like Riku, he had white hair. "Riku, so he's the young pup you took in" he said and Riku shook hands with the man.

"Yep, what do you think?" Riku asked and the man, Masa studied Naruto who tried not to fidget under the man's gaze.

"He's a good one" Masa said with a quirk of the lips that Naruto thought was the closest thing to a smile on the man's face. "Welcome to the family, Naruto" he added and that was when a man stumbled out the entrance of the inn.

"Oho, since when do we meet in the streets instead of the inn itself?" the man with a day old beard and moustache asked. He had the same copper hair like Ami. He wore a loose grey yukata with a bottle of sake in his hands. "Aha, this is the gaki everyone was talking about!" he said and Naruto could smell the alcohol on his breath as the man stopped in front of him. The man had healthy tanned skin, little wrinkles at the corner of his eyes and despite his age, he looked younger than he was. "What was your name again, Naruko or was it Natsukio?" he asked, tapping his chin.

Naruto bowed and said "It's Uzumaki Naruto". Daichi arched an eyebrow and hiccupped. Masa pulled Daichi away and held him by the scruff of his clothes, like he was puppy on his way to punishment.

"I left you for just three minutes. How did you find the sake so fast?" Masa asked his little brother.

"It called out to me like the mistress it is!" Daichi shouted and whilst the children laughed, the adults frowned at him. "Oh, come on, that was funny" he said with a pout.

"And with the newest edition to our family, let the reunion begin!" Masa said and they cheered as they re-entered the inn. Naruto looked at Riku who smirked.

"What did I say? You would fit right in. But you should be prepared because from now on, you'll hate to go out in public. These people are pretty embarrassing" he said ruffling his hair and Naruto chuckled as they followed after the train of lively people he had ever met. He already loved the family like it was his own.


	18. Chapter 16

Chapter sixteen – The mysterious dancer

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto because if I did, let's just say that I wouldn't be writing this story.

* * *

After they cleaned up themselves, the entire family decided to enjoy the festival taking place, so under the cover of the stars, they walked into the village. As soon as they walked out the inn, they were mesmerized. The streets were lit up with beautiful paper lanterns and stalls were lined up on each side of the streets, serving all kinds of delicious delicacies. He watched as some kids rushed past him and smiled. People crowded the streets, laughing and enjoying themselves. Naruto was walking beside the arguing siblings, Ichirou and Keiko. Ami had gone off with Tsukiko, while Riku had joined his brothers in some sort of debate. Naruto's eyes lit up as he took in everything around him. From the glistening colors that painted the streets, the sounds that floated around him and the scents that perfumed the air. Unlike when he was in Konoha, during the Kyuubi festival, he was never allowed to participate yet here he was in the middle of the merriment! You could say that this was his very first festival! A sweet sound captured his ears, and he stopped. He looked around, trying to grasp onto the sound and when he did, he left the siblings behind so he could follow the music.

* * *

He was amazed when he was led to a large stage. He stared at the person wearing the most beautiful kimono he had ever seen. The blue material blew in the wind, flowing like a river. The person wore a white ceramic mask covering his/her face. He watched as the person danced to the music, their body, moving in time with the rhythm. He was entranced as hair as red as blood swayed with each movement. Everything about the dancer was eloquent. With just mere dancing, the person was able to relate a tale and evoke so many emotions, that words could never relay. At the end of the dance, the entire crowd loudly applauded the person who took a deep bow. That was when Naruto's eyes widened. Poking out of the person's clothes, was a silver chain with a swirl pendant. It was the same swirl that was on the back of all his clothes and the flak jackets in Konoha. Why would that person wear such a symbol?! He pushed his way through the crowd as the person stepped down from the stage. He was going to call out, only to stop at the sight of none other than...Dai! His mouth dropped open as the person removed the mask, only to reveal a handsome, young man. The man's hazel eyes were focused on Dai who whispered something to him. When Dai pulled away, the man nodded. Naruto watched as they moved to one of the caravans near the stage. Deciding that he wanted answers, he followed after them.

* * *

Dai looked at his brother as he walked beside him. His older brother had always been the better out of the two. He was the gracious one, the one that people looked up to, and leaned on. Arata was also the one who had the gall to go against their father. And that was why a little part of him hated Arata. The red head was so much stronger than he could ever be, which was further highlighted in the fact that he decided to wear his red hair, out and proud. " _So, why did father send you here? If he wanted to get through with me, he should've just sent me a message_ " he said in the language that Dai loathed to the core. It was like they couldn't even speak anymore, without looking over their shoulders in constant fear.

"Father didn't send me" Dai said, turning away. Arata and their father had yet to make up after his older brother stormed out of their lives so many years ago. "I came on my own accord" he stated and Arata arched an eyebrow at him. Arata knew the implications behind his sentence.

" _Do you know what father would do once he knows you've left the family like that?_ " Arata asked.

"I know but I had to risk it" Dai said and Arata frowned before stopping. " _There's something going on, Arata and father refuses to make a stand_ " he added and clenched his fists.

" _What is going on_?" Arata asked and he could see how edgy his younger brother was. " _What's wrong_?" he added.

" _Someone is going around the temples, stealing our scrolls_ " he whispered and Arata's eyes widened. " _Father made contact with the other families but the elders refuse to do anything! So I had to leave, I had to find out who was doing such_ _a_ _thing_!" he said.

" _Did you find out who is doing it?"_ he asked and when Dai shook his head, he sighed. "So you want help" he added and Dai nodded.

" _I know you have your contacts. I need at least a lead!"_ Dai said, and Arata frowned.

" _And what would you do when you find this person? If this person can get access to our scrolls, we're talking about someone powerful here_ " Arata said.

" _I'll stop him_!" Dai shouted and pounded his chest with his fist. " _It's my duty to protect the little history we have left_ " he added.

" _How do you plan to stop him with the little power you have? Did you forget that you still haven't finished your training_?" Arata asked.

" _I don't care. I can't sit back and watch as yet another one of those shinobi take whatever they want from us_!" he shouted.

" _No matter how you hard you try, you can't bring back the prestige that we lost so many years ago. Not with the way you're going about it. You should have convinced the elders and persuaded father. You're supposed to do something other than fighting this battle alone_ " Arata said and Dai frowned.

"I didn't come here for another one of your know it all speeches. Are you going to help me out or what?" he said. Arata rolled his eyes and ran a hand through his hair.

"Fine, but I'm not happy about it" Arata said and then turned. "Are you done eavesdropping? Are you going to come out now?" he asked, and they turned to Naruto.

"What are YOU doing here?!" Dai hissed but Naruto wasn't even looking at him. He was transfixed on Arata.

"Why are you wearing that swirl pendant?" Naruto asked, as he approached them.

"Oh, you know about this?" Arata asked, taking out the necklace. "It's the same one on your back, isn't it?" he asked with a kind smile.

"Yes it is. Can you tell me why you're wearing it?" Naruto asked and Arata ran his long finger on the swirl.

"You're telling me that you're wearing the symbol yet you have no idea what it means?!" Dai shouted at him but Naruto just shot him a blank look. "Typical Konoha" he spat out.

"Did I ask you anything, carrot top?" Naruto asked and Arata chuckled before holding back his brother.

"This is the symbol of our clan. This symbol has been passed down by our ancestors" Arata said.

"And what is the name of your clan?" Naruto asked and Arata frowned at the question. "Please" he pleaded.

"Uzumaki" Arata replied and Naruto's eyes widened. "It's the mark of the Uzumaki clan" he added and Naruto took a few steps back.

"What's with the reaction kid?" Dai asked. Naruto stammered and pointed at them.

"You're both Uzumaki?" he asked and when Arata nodded, Naruto gasped. "As in your last name is Uzumaki?!" he shouted.

"Yes, why the hell is that so surprising? Kami, you're so annoying" Dai said but Arata kept studying the boy.

"Because my name is Uzumaki Naruto" Naruto said and now it was their turn to stare at him.

* * *

Minutes ticked by as they stared at each other with questioning, disbelieving eyes. Arata was the first to break the silence. "Your last name is Uzumaki" he stated.

"You can't be an Uzumaki, you don't have red hair!" Dai shouted and Naruto looked at him.

"What does that have to do with anything? And when was the last time you looked in a mirror? If you didn't know, you have orange hair" Naruto shouted at him.

"It's dye, baka!" Dai shouted back and Arata placed his hand on his shoulder. "What is it?" he snapped at his older brother.

"How do you know for sure that you're an Uzumaki? Did your parents tell you that?" Arata asked.

"My parents died when I was born, or that's what jiji told me. That name was the only keepsake they left me" he said and Dai's angry frown slipped from his face at the confession. "He said it was my mother's maiden name, though he didn't tell me her first name. Something about enemies" he added and Arata stroked his chin, something Dai knew he did whenever he was thinking.

"Then it could be that your mother was a full blooded Uzumaki, which explains the hair. You must have inherited it from your father" Arata said.

"That still doesn't mean he's an Uzumaki" Dai refuted but no one was paying any attention to him.

"Did this 'jiji' of yours explain to you about our clan?" Arata asked and Naruto shook his head.

"What? You're telling me you don't know about what happened to the clan?!" Dai shouted.

"Calm down" Arata said and turned to Naruto. "What are you doing right now?" he asked.

"I'm here with my family and no, they're not blood related" he said and Dai arched an eyebrow at him.

"You mean all that talk about family, and you're not related to the old man or girl?" Dai asked and Naruto looked away.

"They took me in when I was having...problems, okay?" Naruto bitterly asked. "I'm only here for a day for a family reunion" he added.

"Meet us at sunrise, and we'll give you the answers you seek" Arata said and at Naruto's skeptical look, he smiled. "I promise we'll still be here. Meet us at Megane Bridge" he added and with a nod, they watched as he walked off. "Did you notice it, Dai?" he asked, though he didn't look at his brother.

"Yeah, I noticed the first time I met him. I could never mistake that foul chakra" Dai said with a frown.

"So it's true. They chose another Uzumaki for the human sacrifice" Arata said and Dai grunted.

"And with that blonde hair, I know you know who his parents are and why there's Konoha Anbu following him" Arata said.

"I was surprised that Konoha managed to hide him from the world so far. Though the villagers don't seem to know, in fact the little time I observed him, they didn't seem to like him" Dai said.

"That's because he contains the very thing that rampaged through their village, taking with it so many lives" Arata said.

"So do you really plan to tell him everything? He is on his way to become a shinobi of Konoha" Dai said.

"Yes, but he's also our blood" Arata said and Dai quietened down. "He deserves the truth of what happened to our clan, the very truth that Konoha hid from him" he added.

"Why must you be so wise all the time?" Dai asked with a sigh and Arata just rolled his eyes. "But you're right. I may not like him, but he's blood. He's an Uzumaki and we look after our own" he said.

* * *

Author's notes: First off, I didn't want to publish this chapter so soon, but I had no other choice. Why? Because I won't be updating for awhile, but don't fret! I'm not going on hiatus; it's just that I have some family issues going on right now. I won't abandon this story. I mean how could I? It's my baby! Secondly, dun, dun dun! Surprise! Dai is an Uzumaki. I bet you didn't see that one, huh? (Grins) I couldn't help it. I've always felt like Kishimoto didn't expand fully on this clan, like he did with the Uchiha. I mean, this entire clan, who was fairly strong, had been wiped off the map and he didn't feel the need to tell us more? In addition, I'm going to make a poll in the near future, about whether or not Naruto should learn the art of sealing. So stay tuned, folks! In the next chapter, we learn more about the Uzumaki clan! Finally, I would like to take this time to thank all the beautiful people that left me such kind words in their reviews! Thank you all for leaving such wonderful feedback for me and taking the time to read this story.

Frostycookies.


	19. Important Notice

This is not a chapter, folks. I repeat. This is not a chapter. Nonetheless, it's just as important. In the last chapter, I mentioned that I would create a poll. If you didn't read the author's notes and this is the first time you're hearing about this, then I'll give you the gist of what I'm talking about. The poll is basically about whether or not Naruto should learn fuinjutsu.

To all those of you, who did read the author's notes, this message is a reminder. So, all you beautiful people reading, kindly head over to my profile and vote to your heart's content. Yep, I've resorted to flattery to convince you, the readers to: vote, vote, and vote! I'm giving you all a chance to get involved in this story and besides, the more you all vote, the quicker I'll get this story underway. And you want more chapters, don't ya? But like I said, I need you all to vote. I need to know whether or not I have to incorporate fuinjutsu in Naruto's training. Do you understand now why it's so important?

I would also like to take this time to thank all the people who reviewed, followed and added this story to their favorites. I know I thanked you all in the last chapter, but I just wanted to give you all some more love. Can you blame me? Thanks again.

Well, that's it. I've finished all I have to say and now, it's up to you all.

Until next time,

Frostycookies.


	20. Chapter 17

Chapter seventeen- The tragedy of the Uzumaki clan

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto!

* * *

At the first signs of sun rise, Naruto decided to sneak out of the room that he shared with Riku, so with uneasy steps, he tiptoed around the snoring man and made for the door. Each of his muscles was tense as he tried not to make even the slightest noise. As he was slowly sliding the door open, he froze. Riku had groaned. He slowly turned around and sighed in relief as Riku grumbled in his sleep, before turning. Naruto closed the door and with haste, he walked down the hallway, only to come face to face with Ichirou. They stilled at the sight of each other. "You're sneaking out too?" he asked and smirked when Naruto frowned.

"Yeah" he said and they walked out the inn together. They braced themselves for the cold morning air and when they were out on the streets, people were already awake.

"I didn't take you as the bad boy, little man" Ichirou said and Naruto glanced at him. "I mean, sneaking out in the morning? Shame on you" he added with a chuckle.

"You're doing the same, and just because you're four years older than me, that don't mean you get to call me, little man" Naruto said and he arched an eyebrow.

"You're different from the shy, quiet blonde at dinner last night" he commented to Naruto. "So, are you going to meet a little cutie too?" he asked and Naruto's cheeks turned red.

"What? No!" he shouted at him and Ichirou just laughed at how embarrassed he was with the question.

"Why not? Don't tell me, you're going to meet with a boy, are you? I didn't think you swung that way" he said.

"It's not like that!" Naruto shouted and he threw his head back with laughter. "Are you meeting with a girl?" he asked.

"Yup. I meet her at the festival last night and we hit it off" he said, smiling to himself. Naruto looked at him and he asked "What?"

"So why are you meeting her so early in the morning?" Naruto asked and he smiled at the blonde.

"That's a secret only privy to adults, little man" he said and he frowned at the older boy. "Besides, your ears are too young for such things" he added and at the insinuation, Naruto blushed again. Ichirou laughed and Naruto mumbled to himself about how he was just like his 'Anko-sensei'. "That's right, you're training to be a shinobi, right?" he asked and Naruto nodded. "What is that like?" he asked.

"Most of the times it's hard but sometimes, when you get to learn something new, it's worth it" Naruto said and Ichirou stared ahead with a sigh. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"It's nothing. I just wanted to become a shinobi too but since we're always moving around, I can never get the chance" he said with a frown.

"What's your reason for wanting to become a shinobi?" Naruto asked and he glanced at him.

"Do you know how many robbers are waiting to ambush travelers on the roads? Do you know how hard it is especially for the women like my mother and sister to be travelling around the Elemental Nations when there are groups waiting to steal them into the black market? It's tough out here, little man" he said and Naruto couldn't believe what he was saying. "If it wasn't for my dad, they would've been kidnapped about ten times now. That's why I'm scared. What if one day, he's overpowered and they do take them? I ask myself that question everyday when we're out on the road. Despite the fact that I can defend myself, there are strong people out there, you know?" he said and Naruto nodded.

"I do know" Naruto said, thinking all the people who had defeated him so far. The list ranged of Hinata, Lee, Sasuke, and Anko-sensei. They had all shown him how really weak he was but unlike before, he didn't let it get him down. Like Anko-sensei said, getting strong was a process.

"Well this is my stop, little man. I'll see you at breakfast, right?" he asked and when Naruto nodded, he smiled. "You didn't see me, and I didn't see you" he said with a salute and he watched Ichirou leave. When he wasn't busy arguing with Keiko, he was fun to be around. When Ichirou was finally out of sight, he turned to get going himself.

* * *

"You're late" Dai said to Naruto as soon as he approached. Naruto rolled his eyes at the orange haired boy who was ready to blow a fuse.

"Good morning, Naruto" Arata said, and Naruto nodded. Arata wore a long sleeved grey shirt and black pants, with his long hair in a high ponytail. "Now that you're here, we'll get started" he added and Naruto leaned up on the stone ledge, opposite from the brothers. Dai hopped up and sat down with a glare directed at Naruto. Naruto thought the boy reminded him of Takao, with that scowl on his face. He listened to the river beneath them, as it ebbed and flowed. "Before we start, what do you know about the Uzumaki clan?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest.

"I don't know anything about the clan. Jiji never told me" Naruto said and frowned as Dai's scowl deepened.

"That's okay. He probably didn't know himself. Our clan has always been secretive. Even when we lived in Uzushiogakure, we didn't allow strangers into our homeland. It's what made sure that our secrets were preserved" Arata said, and Dai nodded.

"Uzushiogakure?" Naruto asked and Arata smiled at him. "Where is that?" he added and Dai scoffed. "Could you stop that?" Naruto shouted at him.

"Dai, stop it" Arata said with a firm voice. Dai quietened down and Arata shot a smile at Naruto. "Uzushiogakure was our homeland" he said.

"The ones that the great shinobi villages destroyed" Dai said and Naruto's eyes widened at the claim. "That's what I meant before, shrimp. They're the ones responsible for annihilating our clan" he added with a set jaw.

"What?" Naruto whispered with doubt in his voice. "That's not right" he added and when he looked at Arata, he could see the sadness in his eyes. "Why would they do something like that?" he asked.

"The Uzumaki clan was famous for three things. We always lived long lives, we always had red hair and we always had the strongest seals in the entire Elemental Nations. No one could defeat us when they were up against our seals" Arata said and Naruto absorbed everything he said. "It's those same seals that made the great shinobi villages so afraid of us with the exception of Konoha. We were always allied with Konoha and that's why the jounin wear our swirl on their backs. Did you know that the Shodai's wife was an Uzumaki?" h said, and Naruto's eyes widened.

"Nothing was ever recorded about his wife" Naruto said and Dai had to resist the urge to huff.

"Yes, she was one of the few humans that sealed the Bijuu, Kyuubi" Arata said and Naruto gasped. "Our seals can do anything, young Naruto. It can be used to sap the energy of our enemies, increase our own strength, seal Bijuu, hold fire, create dimensions and even transport us across space as well as time. That's why they feared us. They feared the power of our clan" he added and Dai turned his back on them so he could watch the river. He heard that story many times before. When they were just kids, they would sit around the fire, as the older folk weaved their tales about Uzushiogakure. However, recently the place felt like a fairytale more than anything. Everything about the Uzumaki felt like some strange myth, from their red hair to the prestige they held, the same prestige that made them one of the strongest clan in the Elemental Nations. Now, they were reduced to nothing but nomads. "So during the Second Shinobi war, Kiri, Kumo as well Iwa turned their attention on us. Soon enough, they decided to attack simultaneously" he said, and Naruto could hear his heart beating in his ears.

"But they've been enemies since the day the villages were formed!" Naruto shouted, unable to keep his emotions in check. He had just found people who were related him, learnt that he actually had a clan, only to find out that they were destroyed by the other villages? It couldn't be! He shouted in his mind.

"They had the same purpose, Naruto and that was what brought them together. They had to get rid of us before we posed a threat to them, especially since we were allied with the likes of Konoha. They thought that if Konoha called us to fight, we would. That was where they were wrong. The Uzumaki clan has never been involved with shinobi or their wars. We have always been neutral with what was happening around us because we always chose peace" Arata said and Naruto clenched his fists. Now he understood why Dai was so upset. He was right, he sadly thought to himself. "On that fateful night, the last Uzukage took his stand against the shinobi of the three villages. The women and children were evacuated whilst most of the men stayed behind to fight with their leader. It was a massacre" Arata added and closed his eyes. Even though he hadn't been borne as yet, the elders always made sure to regale the demise of the Uzumaki clan.

"Despite the fact that we had our seals, the number of shinobi that had been deployed were too much for them. Soon enough, every Uzumaki, who fought, had been slaughtered in our own homeland. The great shinobi villages made sure to wipe us off the map. They made sure that even though there were survivors, we would never be able to go back home, thereby ensuring that we could never be able to achieve the level of greatness we once had" Arata said, and Naruto bit his lower lip. The sorrow mixed with anger, had wrapped itself around him, tightening its hold with each word Arata said. He felt like he was suffocating by the minute.

"Fearing that the villages would come after us again, the few survivors have spilt into groups or families, if you want to be specific" Dai continued and Naruto looked at his back that was distraught with the grief he felt. "The red hair that was once our pride, now remind us of what once was. We're forced to dye our hair, move around the Elemental Nations without a place to call home and live our lives in fear of the enemy that is all around us. We can't even wear the symbol of our clan anymore yet Konoha have adopted the swirl as though it was theirs to take in the first place. We've been written out of history like we weren't there in the first place. That is why I hate shinobi!" he shouted and turned around. "They keep taking from us! When they took our homeland, it didn't stop there. No, they had to take more so they took our symbol, our past, our present and future! We can't even use our last names without cowering in fright!" he shouted and Naruto looked at his feet.

"Calm down, Dai" Arata said and Dai scoffed before turning back around. "Do you understand now, young Naruto? We're often referred to as the forgotten clan, because no one remembers the injustice that had been paid to us. We're lost, forever searching for a new home to call our own once more" he added.

"What about Konoha? What was their role in all of this?" Naruto asked looking at Arata who frowned.

"When they came to our aid, it was too late" Dai said, and glanced at Naruto. "That doesn't mean they didn't have a hand to play in what happened. I know for a fact that if Konoha truly wanted to help, they would've made it faster to Uzushiogakure in order to help us" he added.

"That's not true! If it was so, then they would have made it to Uzushiogakure faster!" Naruto refuted but Dai just looked at him with a blank stare.

"Why do you keep defending _that_ place? Even after what you've heard about what happened to our clan, you still wish to believe the lies that Konoha have told you?!" Dai shouted at him.

"It's because I have to protect the village my Hokages have died protecting" Naruto said, and Arata opened his eyes. "I hate what the other villages did to our clan so much so, that it physically hurts" he said, and they watched the way his face twisted, like he was in actual pain. "But you have to understand. Konoha is where I grew up. Konoha is the precious village that my jiji treasures. The same jiji that protected me when no one else would, the same man that held me when every one else refused to even look at me. He's the same man that raised me. He's as much as my parents as he is my grandfather" Naruto said and Arata's eyes softened.

"He's also the man that held the truth from you!" Dai shouted and spun around. He jumped off the ledge and looked at Naruto square in the eyes. "He didn't even have the courtesy to tell you about your clan, yet you still believe in him?" he asked.

"It's because I HAVE to believe in him. I know he has his reasons for not telling me, and I'll respect that, because that is what family does. We trust each other. It's the same case as with you too. Even though I may not like you and I don't know your brother, I trusted you enough to meet you here" Naruto said and Dai looked at him with wide eyes.

"Maybe it's not trust but just the fact that you're an idiot" Dai said, looking away and Arata shook his head at him.

"Well said, Naruto" Arata said with a smile. He walked up to him and placed his hands on his shoulders. "You're the one we've been waiting on for all this time" he said and Dai frowned.

"Do you really think he is IT?" Dai asked Arata who nodded. Arata slipped off his necklace and Dai gaped at his older brother. Arata placed the silver necklace around the blonde's neck.

"I can't take this!" Naruto shouted and moved to take it off, but Arata stopped him. "I can tell that this is precious to you so I can't take it" he added.

"This is something I'm giving you, young Naruto" Arata said, and smiled at him. "I know you want to become a shinobi for Konoha, but I feel as though you may be the one to bring our clan together once more. So I'm placing the hopes of the Uzumaki on your shoulders as well, Naruto" he said and took a step back.

"Nee-san, father won't like this!" Dai shouted at his older brother but Arata ignored him.

"Thank you" Naruto whispered and Arata just smiled at him. He looked at the pendant and Arata placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Before you leave, there's something else I wish to give to you. So tomorrow, you'll have to meet us here once more" Arata said and Naruto nodded.

"Shoot! I have to get going!" Naruto shouted as he noticed that the sun had already risen in the sky. "The old man must be up already!" he said and then shot the siblings an apologetic look.

"Go and be with your family, Naruto" Arata said and with a smile, Naruto nodded. "Don't forget our promise" he added and Naruto waved before running away.

"Tell me you're not planning for him to meet with THE Mother" Dai said and Arata smirked. "Dad is not going to like this" he mumbled.

"We need him on our side. I can feel it. He's the person that can bring about a change in the Elemental Nations that we've never seen before" Arata said and stared at where the boy once stood. "Maybe, we can get our homeland back" he added and turned to his younger brother.

"How do you plan to get him to Mother? He can't leave the village, and we don't even know Mother's exact location" Dai said and Arata smirked.

"Leave all the thinking to me, Dai. I already have a plan" Arata said and Dai rolled his eyes as his brother smiled to himself.

"Why you didn't tell him all of the truth?" Dai asked as he glanced at Arata.

"It's not my place to tell him" Arata said and Dai just shot him a confused look. "In time, you'll understand" Arata added before walking away. Dai sighed and mumbled something at him but Arata wasn't listening. He was just happy he was able to meet the young blonde like Mother had prophesized.

* * *

Uzumaki files #1

His robes dragged on the wooden floor as he walked. "Anata, talk to me!" the woman behind him shouted. The howling wind outside, rushed into the room, bringing with it, some dry leaves. The front doors opened with a loud 'bang' and coldness ushered in. Her robe slipped from her shoulders and with a flutter, it fell to the ground. She scooped it up with her delicate fingers, and as a violent clap of thunder rolled in the sky, she jumped. The hair band snapped in two and her red hair cascaded from the ponytail. Her amber eyes studied her husband's stiff back.

"You felt it as well" someone said with a throaty voice that severed the silence. Her husband looked to the woman who emerged from the corner of the room. Her grey, cloudy eyes were blankly staring in the air. Her face sagged with the many wrinkles decorating her face. Her red hair had turned into an almost salmon color with age. She wore a long sleeved, white cotton shirt and brown pants. On her feet was a pair of flat, black silk shoes. The jade colored hair pins in her hair shimmered as the lightning flashed.

"Mother" the man whispered and the woman turned to gaze out the window. "Is it true?" he asked.

"As the Uzukage you must never doubt your senses" the woman only replied and the man clenched his fists.

"Do you know who?" he whispered and she shook her head. He turned and when he saw his wife's distraught face, he looked away.

"Anata, what's going on?" she asked and the woman turned to her. "Mother" she said but still she got no answer.

"Someone has betrayed the Uzumaki clan" he said and with a gasp, she fell to her knees. "Kami help us all" he whispered.

* * *

Author's notes: I only have one thing to say here and it's about the Uzumaki files. While writing this, I've decided on a personal story line in regards to what happened to the clan. Therefore, I've chosen not to let other characters in the story tell you what happened. As a consequence, the Uzumaki files are something like flashbacks into the past. Now, they won't be in all the chapters. Only the chapters concerning the clan like this one. So, expect more revelations to come.

Until next time,

FrostyCookies.


	21. Chapter 18

Chapter eighteen - Spending the day with family

Disclaimer: I know that you know what we all know that I don't own Naruto.

* * *

"Do you have everything?" Ami asked Naruto as they gathered at the front of the inn once more. After breakfast they decided that they were going to spend the day by the large lake that surrounded Hacho village. Naruto was staring into space, something he had been doing since last night. "Naruto, are you alright?" she asked, giving his shoulder a little shake. He looked at her and smiled.

"Yeah, I was just thinking" he said, and Ami shared a look with Riku. Before she could ask him anything, Ichirou came out the inn with a frown on his face.

"What's wrong with you?" Riku asked her and Ichirou's frown deepened. Keiko was the one to answer for him.

"He got caught this morning, after he snuck out to meet some girl" Keiko said with a laugh. Ichirou punched her on the hand and she yelped. "It's not my fault that you were stupid enough to get caught!" she shouted at him.

"So, I'm guessing you got punished" Ami said and Ichirou reluctantly answered with a nod.

"You should've known better than that, Ichirou-kun. Your father has the eyes of a hawk, something he took after our own father" Tsukiko said joining them with a large bag and sun hat.

"Where's Sora-kun?" Ami asked and that was when Tadashi walked out with Sora in his hands. Ami cooed at the pudgy three year old wearing a blue pair of shorts and matching t-shirt. He had a hat on his head and he was brightly smiling at Ami with those innocent eyes of his. Tadashi wore a matching blue t-shirt though he wore a pair of black shorts.

"Oh, someone snuck out?" Shin asked, as he walked out with Rika who was holding Momo's hand. She wore a cute yellow dress as she bashfully smiled at them. "Huh, nee-san caught you, didn't he?" he asked, ruffling Ichirou's hair.

"Of course he did. Do you remember when we tried to sneak out and dad found us?" Satsuki asked as he approached with Nana. "Ryo-nee is the only one who seemed to get the 'Eye'" he added and Tsukiko laughed.

"And yet he still tried to sneak out" Ryo said with Katsumi by his side. Ichirou frowned and refused to look at his parents. "You should've known that you would've gotten caught" he added with a shake of his head.

"Leave the kid alone" Uncle Ken said, joining the group with his wife, Miwa. "He's at the age where hormones are raging and all of those sorts. It's healthy for a young boy to want to be in the company of the fairer sex" he added.

"Ah, yes. I remember my days" Daichi said, approaching. "The beauties that were left heartbroken because of me" he added and Ichirou smirked at him. Daichi pulled Ichirou aside and asked "So, was she cute?"

"Very" Ichirou said and they shared a chuckle, before Ryo bopped Ichirou on the head. "What was that for?!" he shouted at his father.

"Uncle Daichi, you're corrupting the poor boy!" Momoe said as she approached with Akira holding her hand.

"He's young and with the hormones, it's only natural" Masa said wearing a straw hat on his head. "I remember that the three of you were the same. Always sneaking out to meet with girls" he said to his sons, who were on edge as their wives turned to them.

"Are we going to stand out here all day or are we going to get moving?" Riku asked with his fishing rod in his hands. "Let's go!" he shouted and the children shouted after him. Naruto walked beside Ichirou who was sulking.

"How is that you weren't caught?" Ichirou asked as he glanced at him. At Naruto's shrug, Ichirou pouted.

"What's your punishment?" Naruto asked and Ichirou shot him a look that said: You don't even want to know. Naruto chuckled at him.

"You should've seen her, little man. She was totally worth it" Ichirou said with a smile. Naruto shook his head at him, as Keiko joined them.

"What are you two talking about?" She asked, looking at them and Ichirou frowned. "I'm just curious to how you both got so chummy all of a sudden" she added.

"Why don't you just mind your business, miss nosy" Ichirou said and Keiko's eyes narrowed.

"Well, if you don't want to tell me, I'll just ask the shrimp" Keiko said turning to Naruto. "So, what's the deal with you and my baka brother?" she asked.

"I can't tell you" Naruto said and she looked at him. "Not until you stop calling me shrimp. I have a name, you know" he added before walking off while Ichirou laughed at Keiko's gob smacked face.

* * *

With his feet dangling in the water, Naruto sat down on the dock, staring at the blue sky. He didn't join the rest of the family as they played a little far away, while the older men decided to fish on one of the rocks. Ichirou swam up and placed his hands on the dock. "Why are you so broody?" he asked, as he ran a hand through his wet hair.

"I'm not broody" Naruto said, kicking some water. "I just have some stuff going on right now" he added.

"Stuff? Like what?" Ichirou asked, looking at him. "Come on, it's not like I'll tell anyone" he added.

"It's just personal" Naruto said and Ichirou arched an eyebrow. "I haven't even told the old man or Ami-chan" he added.

"Why not?" Ichirou asked and Naruto glanced at Riku who was laughing with Ken as they fished. "Because it's personal" Ichirou said when Naruto didn't say anything. "In case you haven't noticed, they're family" he added as he hopped up on the dock.

"I know they're family. I know that" Naruto said to the older boy. "It's just that I don't know how to tell them" he added.

"Just tell them" Ichirou said and turned to him. "My mom always says, once you get it off your chest, you'll feel better. I'm sure that once you tell them whatever it is you have to tell them, they'll understand" he added and Naruto nodded. With that, he started to shake his head like a dog in order to dry his hair. Naruto yelped and shouted at him to stop but the boy continued with a broad smile on his face.

"Oi, that's not funny!" Naruto shouted when Ichirou laughed at him. That was when he felt something pull on his legs. With wide eyes, he shrieked as he was pulled into the water. When he emerged, he saw Keiko smiling at him. "You!" he shouted, pointing at her.

"That was for this morning!" she shouted and swam away. Ichirou turned to Naruto who smirked.

"Hey, what do you say that we catch her and teach her a lesson?" Ichirou asked and Naruto's eyes lit up at the suggestion. "I'll take that as a yes" he added before jumping into the water.

* * *

"Looks like your little brother, is finally having some fun, Ami-chan" Tsukiko said as they set up a large picnic blanket under one of the large trees that were near the lake. Ami looked back and smiled as she watched Naruto, Ichirou as well as Keiko have a water fight with each other. "Count on Ichirou, no matter what age he is, to have a water fight" she commented and they chuckled. "Oh, look at that! Even Sora-kun is warming up to him!" she shouted and they stared at her son who urged Tadashi to move to the group that was splashing each other. She placed her hand over her heart as she watched her little son. He giggled when he joined the fight, though the others weren't as rough as they were, moments ago. "So cute" she said to herself and Ami smiled as Tsukiko took out her camera. She snapped a few pictures of them.

"I was worried about him" Ami said as she sat down on the blanket. "Whenever he meets anyone new, he closes up like he did with me. Though Uncle Riku was the exception" she added.

"From what you've told me, he has a right to be suspicious of new comers in his life" Tsukiko said as she sat down as well. "The poor child, the things he's had to go through in life. If that happened to my little Sora-kun, I don't even know what I would do" she said and Ami nodded.

"That's why Uncle Riku and I have to look after him since he doesn't have his parents to do it for him" Ami said and Tsukiko patted her hand.

"And you're doing a wonderful job. Uncle Kenta would've been so proud of you" Tsukiko said and Ami's eyes softened at the mention of her father.

"If he was alive, he would've done the same thing Uncle Riku and I did. I know he would" she said and Tsukiko nodded.

"Our family likes to save those who need saving. I mean, look at Shin and Nana. Once they met Momo and they found out what happened to her, they adopted her right away" Tsukiko said, looking at the girl as she played with her parents.

"Doesn't it just break your heart? The things that some kids have to go through" Ami said and Tsukiko nodded as they thought about Momo as well as Naruto.

"And that is why we're here" Satsuki said as he walked up to them. "Our family will always help those in need, just like our fathers taught us" he added as he wiped his head with a towel.

"We have great fathers, don't we?" Ami asked and they couldn't help but nod at the question.

* * *

Author's notes: Meh, there wasn't much going on here, but I felt like this was needed because Ichirou, Naruto and Keiko have grown closer.

Frostycookies


	22. Chapter 19

Chapter nineteen – Departure and back in Konoha

Disclaimer: I, in no way, own the series Naruto.

* * *

"You're late, again" Dai said, as Naruto approached the bridge the next day. He arched an eyebrow at the tanned blonde. "And you're tanned" he added.

"Yeah, I spent the day at the lake yesterday" Naruto said as he rubbed behind his neck sheepishly.

"We called you here, for this" Arata said, handing him a seal. It was far different from the standard storage seal; in fact he didn't know what kind of seal it was. "So we can keep in contact" he added as Naruto studied the strange markings on the seal. "Channel chakra into it" he said and Naruto did as he was told. When he did, nothing happened.

"Just wait" Dai said, and suddenly, a small mechanical brown bird flew outside the seal, before landing on Naruto's shoulder. "Meet Tori-san. He'll help you communicate with nee-san while you're in Konoha" he added and the bird chirped.

"Nice to meet you" Naruto said to the bird who chirped out a greeting at him. Naruto smiled and then Tori turned to Arata.

"It's okay, Tori-san. We just wanted you to meet Naruto. You can leave now" Arata said and with a chirp, the bird was back inside the seal once more.

"That's amazing! What can of seal is this?" Naruto said, studying the seal with a sense of awe.

"That's a special Uzumaki storage seal" Arata said and Naruto arched an eyebrow at him. "Tori-san stays in the seal until he's needed. When you're ready to write to us, just channel chakra into the seal and Tori will come out. He'll know how to find us and the same will happen when we send you a letter" he added and Naruto nodded.

"So you're leaving for Konoha in awhile, huh?" Dai asked as he sat down on the ledge. "And I'm guessing, that you're not giving up on becoming a shinobi, am I right?" he added.

"Yeah" Naruto said and Dai just looked at him. "The old man once told me something. Only you can bring about the change you wish to see, and I want to change the definition of what it means to be a shinobi. And since you want to bring change to the situation our clan is in, I'll help" he added and Dai did something unexpected, he smiled.

"I'll hold you to it, then" Dai said and hopped off the ledge. He placed his hand out and Naruto shook it. "But I still don't like you even if you're related to me" he added.

"If you should know, I don't like you either!" Naruto shouted but they just chuckled at each other.

"It was nice meeting you, Naruto" Arata said and they shook hands. "We'll speak to you soon" he added and Naruto nodded.

* * *

"This is it, huh?" Ichirou asked Naruto as they stood in front of each other. Naruto smiled at him, and Keiko soon joined them.

"See ya later, shrimp" Keiko said and chuckled at Naruto's shout of 'I'm not a shrimp!' "I mean, it was nice meeting you, Naruto" she added and Naruto's mouth snapped close.

"For someone so short, you're quick to call someone shrimp" her Uncle Shin commented and smiled at Naruto. "Though it was nice to meet you, Naruto" he added.

"Yes, you're so cute with those whisker marks on your face!" Tsukiko said, pinching them and Naruto yelped. Tadashi pulled his wife away and she pouted while Naruto rubbed his now red cheeks.

"I'm sorry" Tadashi said and chuckled at Naruto's face as he looked at Tsukiko with a scared face. Sora reached out to Naruto and Tadashi moved him closer. Sora patted his head and they all cooed over them. "I think that means he likes you" he added.

"Oh, I just want to hug them both!" Momoe shouted and Akira held her back. "Come on, Akira-kun" she pouted.

"You'll hurt yourself and the poor kids" he said and Momoe frowned. "It's okay, Naruto. I won't let her hug you to death" he added and Naruto shot him a grateful look only for Uncle Ken to move directly in front of him. Naruto looked at the man who seemed to be staring at him.

"I heard that you're having some sort of exams next week, so I'll pray for you" Uncle Ken said, placing his hands on his shoulders.

"Uh, thank you?" Naruto asked and Uncle Ken nodded before pulling away. Miwa smiled at him and ruffled his hair.

"You're a good boy, so look after Riku and Ami" she said and he nodded. "And take care of yourself" she said.

"Thank you" he said and that was when Katsumi hugged him. "Uh?" he asked and Katsumi pulled away.

"Thank you for spending time with my children" she said and that was when Ryo hugged him as well. Now, Naruto stood awkwardly in the embrace of the hulk of a man as Ichirou and Keiko snickered. He pulled away and ruffled Naruto's hair.

"Yes, thank you" he said and Naruto nodded, though he was unsure why they were thanking him.

"Ichirou-kun and Keiko-chan hardly get along with other children, so that's why it was so surprising that they took to you so well" Satsuki explained as Nana bid the blonde farewell.

"Oh" Naruto said and turned to the siblings who were already arguing with each other. "I can see why" he added and Nana chuckled.

"Good luck out there, young pup" Masa said, placing his hand on his head. Naruto felt intimidated by the man who stared down at him. "Look after yourself" he added and removed his hand.

"Yes sir" Naruto said and Masa quirked his lips at him. Rika moved to Naruto before ruffling his hair.

"He's right, young Naruto. We wish you luck in your future endeavors" she said and Naruto nodded.

"Go out there and capture the hearts of all the ladies you can!" Daichi said loudly as he patted Naruto on the back. He chuckled as Daichi was roughly pulled away from him courtesy of Masa.

"Stay safe, Ami-chan" Rika said, hugging Ami who nodded at her. As the adults hugged each other, Ichirou, Keiko and Naruto stood on the sidelines watching them.

"So this is what it's like" Naruto commented. They glanced at the blonde as he studied the farewell amongst the adults.

"Yeah, it's bothersome though when it's like this every year" Keiko said as she folded her arms.

"Where are you all heading?" Naruto asked and Ichirou hummed at the question.

"Somewhere in Earth Country" Ichirou said and then turned to him. "I guess we'll see you next year at the next reunion" he added, placing his hands on Naruto's shoulders and Keiko's.

"What are you doing, baka?" Keiko asked him but Ichirou wasn't listening to them, because he was staring at Tsukiko who had positioned a camera their way.

"Say cheese!" Tsukiko shouted and Keiko formed a peace sign with her fingers. "Come on, Naruto-kun. Smile!" she said and Ichirou nudged him. Naruto smiled and with a click, the moment was captured.

* * *

Two days later

The Sandaime watched as Iruka paced near the window of his office. "Why are you so nervous, Iruka-kun?" he asked as he took the pipe out of his mouth.

"Do you think they're okay? Do you think something happened?" He asked as he bit his nails.

"Who are you really worried for? Ami-chan, right?" the Sandaime asked with a cunning grin on his face and Iruka blushed.

"What? No!" he shouted and the Sandaime just took a puff of his pipe. "Believe it or not, I'm worried about Naruto-kun as well" he added.

"Oho?" the Sandaime asked. He knew that the scarred chunnin had problems when it came to Naruto. On one hand, he liked the boy, but on the other hand, he was the child that housed the Kyuubi that killed his parents. He knew that Iruka was struggling with how to approach the blonde. Iruka didn't know how to treat Naruto, and he couldn't blame him.

"I have the notes he missed out on" Iruka said and the Sandaime studied him. Iruka scratched the scar on his nose and added "Besides Hinata-chan, he's the only one who listen to me"

"I see" the Sandaime said, though he knew what that really meant. Iruka was warming up to the boy.

"Hokage-sama, they've arrived" one of his Anbu said, popping up in the room. The masked man ignored Iruka who had jumped at his sudden arrival.

"Alright, let them settle in and then I'll greet them" he said, and with a nod, the Anbu disappeared just as he arrived. "See, Iruka-kun. They're safe" he added and Iruka released a sigh of relief.

Naruto decided to stay over at Riku and Ami's. After their trip to the bathhouse and with the Sandaime there, he said "I have something to tell you all". They turned to him and that was when he took off the necklace. He watched as the Sandaime's eyes widened.

"Where did you get that?" he asked, watching the pendant that glinted in the light of the living room.

"I met two brothers on my trip. Arata and Dai" he said and at the mention of the boy, Riku as well as Ami frowned.

"That rude bastard?" Ami asked, and he nodded. "The little time we spent with him, you two couldn't stand each other" she added.

"At the festival, I saw a dancer and when the performer was finished, I saw this poke out of his clothes. I was planning on confronting him when Dai beat me to it. They were talking in some strange language and before I knew it, they called me out as I was listening on their conversation" he said.

"A strange language?" the Sandaime asked him and Naruto nodded. He stroked his chin and asked him to continue.

"When I asked him about the pendant, he told me that it was the symbol of their clan, the Uzumaki" Naruto said and they gaped at him. "I met up with them the next morning and they told me about what happened, jiji" he said to the Sandaime who looked at him with guilt ridden eyes. "About the villages, the reason why Uzushiogakure was destroyed, what happened when it WAS destroyed" he added as he sat down, staring at the swirl in his hand.

"I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, my boy" the Sandaime said and Naruto just looked up at him.

"It's okay, I know you had your reasons" Naruto said and the Sandaime's eyes softened. "I'm not angry or anything" he added as he scratched his head with a smile fixed on his face.

"What? You have actual relatives?!" Ami shouted and moved to his side. She hugged him and then asked "Wait, that Dai kid is your family?!"

"Unfortunately" Naruto said and she laughed. Riku ruffled his hair and sat down on the other side of him. "What's so funny?" he asked, looking at them.

"No wonder you two couldn't get along" Ami said and at his shout of 'Hey!' they laughed with Naruto joining them.

"What else did they tell you, Naruto?" the Sandaime asked, a little worried that they revealed more than just information about the clan. Naruto looked at him, and he could see that the boy was hiding something from him.

"Nothing" he said and the Sandaime studied him. "They only told me about the clan" he added, and the Sandaime just nodded, though he knew that the boy was lying. However he knew that Naruto had hidden secrets deep within his own being, which was so far away that not even he, the esteemed Sandaime could reach. So he decided he would trust the boy, _**for now**_.

* * *

"Sir, when he met with them, we couldn't listen in on their conversation. There was a weird static noise that drowned out their voices, when we got close" the kneeling Anbu reported to the Sandaime.

"No doubt, a seal" the Sandaime said, looking at the ceiling. Even now, the prowess of the clan amazed him. "I see, dismissed" he said and with that, the Anbu disappeared. He sighed and looked at the picture of Naruto on his desk. It was one of the many there. He had pictures of Konohamaru, his children, his wife, his last students and one with Minato as well as Kushina. "I pray that that's all they told you, Naruto. For your sake as well as mine" he whispered.

* * *

Uzumaki files # 2

With his wife on her knees, he turned to Mother. "How long do we have?" he asked her, and she frowned.

"Maybe a day, or it can be less than that, before they arrive" mother said and he sighed. "What do you intend to do? She added.

"We save the innocents. The women, the elderly, the sick and children should evacuate. Then, we conceal all the scrolls we can and prepare for war" he said, and with her blind eyes, she studied his face.

"War?" his wife whispered and he looked at her. "The Uzumaki clan has always been taught the ways of peace. We have never used our gifts to harm another living thing. You know what the great philosopher and our forefather, Minoru said. Non violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man. ***** ". He walked to her and gently pulled her to her feet.

"Peace is not our option here. They will not listen to reason Kana-chan and they will not stop. They were always seeking for a way into Uzushiogakure, and now, they have" he said, wrapping her hands with his.

"How can our own kin betray us? Why would they do such a thing?" she asked and he kissed her forehead.

"We can't worry about that now. We have to think about protecting our people. That's our first priority and as Uzukage, it is my responsibility to guard their lives" he said and she placed her head on his chest.

"I will gladly stand by your side" she whispered and Mother shook her head. Wounded, she looked at the elderly woman.

"You must leave. You have more than one life in your hands" she said and their eyes widened. "Another grows in you" she added and tears trickled down his wife's face.

"Is that true?!" she shrieked and when Mother nodded, he hugged her tightly. She placed her hand on her stomach and she gazed at her husband.

"More reason to fight" he whispered and she buried her face on the front of his clothes. "For first time in history, we, the Uzumaki must prepare for battle" he added.

She pulled the hood over her head and clutching onto the bundle in her arms, they stepped into the darkness. They didn't take anything with them. No clothes, money or valuables of any kind. They had to get out of the village as fast as they could before the others found out about their deception. She could feel the drizzle of rain already soaking into her cloak and she brought the bundle closer to her. Her husband and older son looked at her and she could see the sadness in their eyes. They had no other choice. They had been given an ultimatum. It was either their village, or... .She shook her head and with clattering teeth, she ran. She loved her brothers and sisters (not in the literal sense) but there were other things more important, like her family who ran with her. "Shush, I know, my little Karin" she whispered to the baby who stirred in her arms. Already, the sin of their actions was sealed in not only her future, but those of her children and the future generations. After all, one of the worst things you could do was betray an Uzumaki.

* * *

Author's notes: Well, what's on the agenda today? First off, this chapter...O.o, I could just see some of your faces with that expression. If you think that baby was Karin from the canon universe, then you're wrong. But! She is related. The question is: How so? Ohohohohoohoho, only time will tell.

 ***** The quote "Non violence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind. It is mightier than the mightiest weapon of destruction devised by the ingenuity of man" was not a product of my mind or the great philosopher, Minoru. Instead, it belonged and still belongs to one of the greatest men in history, Mahatma Gandhi.

Finally, since we have that out of the way, let's talk about the poll. I would like to express my heart felt gratitude to the two people who actually took their time to go to my profile and vote, as well as the guest review who suggested and I quote 'fuinjutsu all the way'. Much love to you three. To the rest of you who read the notice and either chose to ignore me or just ignored it on a whole, that's okay. I'm not sad. What? You want to know why there's water spraying from my eyes? They're not tears. Nope. I'm totally not crying. I'm fine. So since, you all didn't respond to the flattery, I'll choose another approach. Okay, here it goes. *drops to knees* Please, people, go and vote. If you don't, I'll...do nothing. Just vote, 'kay?

Frostycookies


	23. Chapter 20

Chapter twenty – Life back in Konoha

Disclaimer: I do not even dare claim ownership of the series, Naruto. I am unworthy...

* * *

"Well, show me how far you've come" Anko said, with her hands on her hips. Naruto frowned at her as they stood in their special training grounds.

"No 'welcome back home' or anything like that? I mean, I have been away from Konoha for a week" Naruto said.

"What do you want, gaki? A present or something?" Anko rudely asked and Naruto sighed.

"I missed you so much, Anko-sensei" Naruto said with a roll of his eyes before closing them. He concentrated when he got a feel of his chakra; he channeled it into the ball. Anko watched as it rose an inch off of his hands, before flopping back down.

"Not good enough" Anko said and Naruto opened his eyes. "The genin exams are just a week away and yet you can't even make two bunshin to save your life" she cruelly said.

"I couldn't do this exercise all the time on the road, you know that!" he shouted at her and she sat down.

"All I know is that you're standing in front of me, making excuses!" she said, and Naruto firmly clasped the ball. "Naruto, I need you to focus for the next few days. I need more from you. I need the kid that declared he was going to become Hokage" she said with less harsh voice.

"That kid is standing right in front of you! He's been here all the time! He's gotten his ass kicked A LOT for the past few weeks but he's been trying all this time!" he shouted at her. She sighed and ran her hand through her hair.

"I didn't mean to make you angry, gaki. I'm just worried about you" She said, and he looked at her. "If you can't make those three bunshin, you won't pass" she added and he sadly nodded.

"I know that. That's why I've been pushing myself. It may not look like it to you, but I've been trying" he said, and she stood up.

"I know you've been trying, Naruto. That's why I'm asking you for more. I need you to make it to the top of that tree" she said, pointing to the marked tree. She patted his chest and he looked at her. "You have to make it to the top of the tree. Show me your resolve" she added and he nodded. "Now, do you want to wager another bet?" she asked with a devious smile on her face.

"Not with that smile on your face" he said and she chuckled. "No, I'm serious" he added and she just patted his shoulder.

"Come on, don't be like that. It's just a little bet" Anko said with a persuasive voice and Naruto sighed.

"Fine. Just tell me what the bet is" he said and she smirked at him before clasping her hands.

"If you make it to the top and pass your genin exams, I'll teach you your first ninjutsu" she said and his eyes bulged from their sockets.

"What?" he asked and the ball dropped to the ground. "Are you serious right now?" he added.

"Yeah, I mean I came through with the first bet, right?" she asked and when he nodded, she smiled.

"My first ninjutsu" he whispered and then looked at her. "What will it be? What do you plan to teach me?" he asked and she pushed his face far away from her.

"Personal space, respect it" Anko said and then added "I can't tell you that now. It'll ruin the surprise"

"Fine, I'll take part in this bet but you better follow through with your part of the deal" he said. Using her fingers, she crossed her heart in a mocking way.

"I cross my heart" she said in a baby voice. Naruto ignored her as he turned to the tree. As he did his stretches, his sole focus was on the tree itself. Once he was finished, he took out a kunai and turned to Anko.

"You do know that you're going to lose this bet, right?" he asked with a jovial tone of voice.

"Just get going" she said and with a nod, he set out to work.

* * *

"N-N-Naruto-k-kun" Hinata called out as he made his way towards her. It had been a long, tough week without the blonde. When Iruka-sensei announced that he would be away from school because he had to attend an important family event, everyone was surprised. Yeah, they had noticed the bento, the strange white haired man that dropped him off at school a year ago and the girl that joined said man in representing Naruto at parent-teacher meetings, but they would never had thought that he gained a family. Everyone in the class knew he was an orphan, which was one of the reasons they started picking on him. If he didn't have parents to defend him, it made him an easy target. And it also made him stand out. All the other children had at least one parent looking after them with the exception of Sasuke who had lost his parents some years ago. But Naruto was different; he didn't have parents to begin with. He only had the Hokage. When someone had shouted out that Naruto couldn't possibly have any family, Hinata decided that she had enough. She had to stand up for the blonde who wasn't there to defend himself. So, with determination lighting her resolve, she stood up on wobbly feet for the very first time in her life.

"Y-Y-yes, h-he d-does!" she shouted with all her might. Everyone surprised at the pale haired girl, turned to her. She felt queasy and she wanted to faint but she stood firm. "H-h-h-he h-h-has a-a-a s-s-s-sister!" she shouted.

"That's right" Iruka-sensei said and they turned their focus on him once more. Hinata collapsed on her chair and stared at her hands that were quivering with the panic she had felt, standing in front of so many people. "Naruto-kun does have family. The man who runs the dango store and his niece are Naruto's family. They may not be related by blood but they've adopted him as their own" he said and a piercing silence coated the silence. Since then, the snide remarks about the blonde had been reduced. He smiled at Hinata who squeaked as he sat down.

"It's been awhile" he said and when he looked around, he noticed the stares that were directed his way. "What's going on?" he asked Hinata.

"N-nothing" Hinata said. "H-H-how was y-your t-trip?" she asked and he placed his chin on the desk.

"It was good. I met some of the most interesting people in the Elemental Nations" he said, and she ducked her head down, a smile on her lips.

"T-T-That's good" she said.

"It's lunch time!" Kiba howled as he placed his feet on his desk as the instructors left the classroom. He gave Chouji a high five and gave Shino a friendly nudge. Shikamaru grunted as Kiba howled again. Ino threw her book at him and the class laughed as it bounced off his head. "You could've hurt Akamaru, you bitch!" he shouted and she just flipped her hair in his direction. Sasuke got up and as he walked down the stairs, all the girls braced themselves.

"Sasuke-kun, wait for us!" Ino shrieked and with that, the girls tramped down after him. Soon enough, the other students filed out.

"Time to get out of here!" Kiba shouted to the little group of his friends. They stood up and Shino with his hands deep within his pockets was the only one who dared to look back. Kiba followed his line of sight and saw a sleeping Naruto sitting beside a nervous looking Hinata.

"Come on" Shikamaru said, passing them without a single glance their way. Kiba frowned but followed after the usually lazy boy. They knew more than anyone that Shikamaru felt the guiltiest of them all, for having abandoned the blonde.

Naruto suddenly jumped awake and when he opened his eyes, he saw a weary Hinata beside him. He wiped his mouth and her eyes widened. He looked down at his horribly bandaged hands. Blood had soaked its way through the material though he knew his hands were already healed by now. "N-Naruto-kun!" she gasped and immediately took his hands into hers.

"Don't worry about it" he said and she shook her head before firmly holding his hand. She carefully undid the wrapping and looked at his healed hands. "See, healed" he added and she frowned.

"W-w-what h-happened?" she asked as he rolled the dirty bandages into a ball. When he remained silent, she knew the reason. "O-oh" she said with realization in her voice.

"Yeah" he said and she pulled out something from the front pockets of her jacket. "What is that?" he asked.

"A-a-another o-ointment" she said, placing it in his hands. "I-I t-thought y-you c-could u-use i-it" she added and he smiled.

"Thanks" He said and she nodded. He placed his bento on the desk and noticed that she didn't have any of her own. "Where is yours?" he asked and she bowed her head.

"I-I-I d-d-didn't g-g-get a c-chance t-t-to m-m-make o-one t-t-this m-m-morning" she confessed and he knew that there was more to it than that, but he could see that she didn't want to talk about. Hinata squeaked when he slid his bento to her. "I-I-I c-c-couldn't!" she shouted but he just turned his head to her.

"Eat it" he commanded and she blushed before taking the bento in her lap. "Besides, I'm too tired to eat" he mumbled and closed his eyes once more.

"T-Thank y-you" she muttered but he was already fast asleep.

* * *

After work, Naruto decided to go to the training grounds. He had to get to the top and he would. He shed his jacket and grabbed one of his kunai. He flexed his hands and then closed his eyes. He started up the process once more, and when he was sure his feet were coated with chakra, his eyes opened. He dashed towards the tree, climbing up with hopping steps. When he felt his control slipping, he refused to give up. He held tight on what seemed like the last sliver of chakra, and pressed forward. "You can do this!" he shouted to himself, making two more steps. His eyes widened, before the contact broke. He tried to twist his body in the air, but the fatigue he felt, prevented him from having a safe landing. He felt when his ankle bent in an unnatural manner. He screamed out as the pain assaulted his leg and gripped onto the grass.

"You okay, gaki?" one of Anko's clones shouted as it emerged. He bit down on his lips and looked at the clone. "I'll patch it up" she added and took out a storage seal.

* * *

After managing to limp home, as soon as he opened the door of his apartment, he was met with the sight of Ko who seemed to be waiting on him. "Ko?" he asked, surprised to see the tiger cub.

"Naruto, I need your help! Mum is in trouble!" he shouted and tottered towards Naruto who closed the door.

"What's going on?" Naruto asked and Ko stopped in front of him. He could see the trouble swimming in his jade colored eyes.

"You need to come to our home or they're going to execute Mom!" he shouted before sobbing.

"What?" Naruto shouted. "What the hell happened since the last time we met?!" he asked but Ko was too busy crying his little eyes out to answer him.

* * *

Author's notes: What a cliffhanger that was, huh? You didn't forget about the Tora family, did you? I did say that I was bringing them back, so here they are! Yay~ Wait...I don't think it's time to celebrate as yet, that's what my cousin is telling me. Huh. You're right. So, we'll have to hold the celebrations for now, and wait to see what happens. Until then!

Frostycookies.


	24. A troublesome day

Side Story: A troublesome day

Author's notes: Muahaha, I decided to drop this little side story in this fic. As promised, we get to see Shikamaru's side of the so called 'abandonment' of one Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

It had been just another typical morning for one young Nara Shikamaru. His mother had harshly awakened him, and then she proceeded to shout at him to get up, before storming past his father who looked at him with understanding. "Even though she is a troublesome woman, she does it out of love" his father had always said. He would shoot his father a blank look and just like always his mother would hear his comment with her inhumane hearing ability. Then she would yank his beard before pulling his father down the hallway, shouting about how all Nara men were the same. At snail's pace, Shikamaru would shower and change before strolling downstairs to join his parents. When he got there, his mother would always be behind the stove and his father would be sitting by the table, dully staring at the daily newspapers. Shikamaru would sit down, his mother would hand him his breakfast and he would zone out as she proceeded to ramble about how he should do better in school. He would push around his food until he decided to go to the Academy. He would meet Chouji on his way, and they would walk together. Throughout the walk, Shikamaru, his hands deep within his pockets would stare at the clouds whilst his best friend would quietly munch on his chips. It was no secret Shikamaru loved clouds. In fact if he was given a choice he would stare at those fluffy, uncomplicated, peaceful blobs in the sky all day. But he knew he could never have his wish. "The universe wouldn't allow it" he muttered to himself and Chouji looked at him.

"What are you talking about?" the plump boy asked as he continued eating. Shikamaru kept walking.

"Nothing" he muttered and they entered the Academy. However with just one foot in the class, he knew something was wrong. Especially when he saw blonde hair poking out from the far back of the class, as well as the lack of loud obnoxiousness that was often associated with said person.

"Move your lazy ass!" Ino shrieked and Chouji had to pull Shikamaru aside as the two Uchiha fan girls rushed through the door. Shikamaru dully stared at them as they made fools of themselves.

"Jeez, those harpies nearly made my ears bleed" Kiba said, smirking at them as he approached. His longer than human canines prodded from his mouth. Shikamaru walked off when Chouji and Kiba bumped fists. His sharp onyx eyes were focused on his blonde friend who surprisingly didn't wear the orange jacket of his jumpsuit. He had noticed the lack of jacket for nearly two days now. Everything about the blonde was different including the aura that surrounded him. He started to analyze the boy as he climbed the stairs with slow, deliberate steps. Was he the only one who noticed the change?

"Where's that dobe?" Kiba shouted, though unlike their classmates there wasn't any maliciousness in his voice. Shikamaru stopped in front of the blonde who looked back at him. Instead of his usual goofy smile, Naruto's face was neutral as they stared at each other. "Oh, there you are. What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, as he slung his arm on Naruto's shoulder.

"Forget about that for now. We were thinking about ditching this place" Chouji said as he approached them. Hadn't they discerned the notable change in their friend? Shikamaru asked himself. Naruto shrugged off Kiba's arm.

"I'm good" Naruto said without his customary verbal tick and his cheery loudness. Now the gears of the Nara's mind were working. What was the reason for the change in the boy? Did it have to do with the bento on his lap? Since when did he carry a bento to school? Especially one that was handmade? Wasn't Naruto an orphan?

"What the hell do you mean you're good?" Kiba asked, taken aback by his friend's response.

"I mean that I'm staying in so I can learn something for a change" Naruto said with a firm voice.

"No matter how much you try, you'll always remain an idiot" someone shouted. It was one of the few students that were listening to their conversation. The classroom descended into rambunctious laughter and Shikamaru noticed how instead of his normal indignant comeback, Naruto stared straight ahead with his face set.

"Whatever, man. I'm out of here. You guys are in, right?" Kiba said and Chouji nodded. "When you return to the Naruto I know, then we'll talk" he added before dashing out the window.

"Shikamaru, are you coming?" Chouji asked, ready to follow after Kiba. Naruto's sapphire blue eyes burnt holes into his soul and Shikamaru finally noticed how deep his blonde friend had hidden his troubles.

"Yeah" Shikamaru said, turning to leave but not without shooting his blonde friend a glance. Naruto was still looking at him, silently asking him that one request he could not fulfill. Realizing Shikamaru's answer, Naruto looked away before staring straight ahead once more. For the first time in his life, the lazy Nara felt like lower than dirt.

"Come on, Shikamaru" Chouji beckoned from outside the window. Shikamaru nodded and followed his friend.

"Troublesome" Shikamaru mumbled under his breath though that time it wasn't with a lazy tone, but a remorseful one. He just hoped his cloud watching could wash away the bad taste in his mouth.

* * *

Author's notes: I know. Poor Shikamaru but it was inevitable. They were friends with Naruto because of the lone fact that they ditched classes together. In other words, that was what cemented their friendship. Take that away, and that would be the end of their friendship. I know that wouldn't **always** happen even in fiction, but in my story, it played out that way. It's sad but sometimes, in real life we lose friends along the way, regardless of the circumstances.


	25. Chapter 21

Chapter twenty one – Duel of Honor

Disclaimer: Me no own Naruto.

Warnings: Contains gore in the ending of this chapter.

* * *

"Ko, I know you're sad but you have to talk to me" Naruto said to the cub. He could see that his leg had already healed and he was glad but he knew it wasn't the time for that. He had to find out what was going on with the Tora family.

"It's so horrible, Naruto. That is why you have to come with me!" Ko said and Naruto frowned.

"And how do you plan on getting me there?" Naruto asked, and with that, Ko ran through some seals (which surprised Naruto). With a large poof a large scroll appeared in the middle of the room.

"You have to sign the contract and my brother will reverse summon you to our plane" Ko said and Naruto arched an eyebrow.

"Takao is in on this as well?" Naruto asked and Ko nodded. Now he knew that something was up. "Fine, what do I have to do?" he asked, moving to the scroll. When he opened it, he was surprised at the number names and handprints written in blood. All were from the Okabe family and the last entry was from Okabe Minoru, the one Chie spoke about.

"You have to write your name in blood and place your hand print below" Ko said and with a kunai, he slashed his palm.

"Uzumaki Naruto" he mumbled as he wrote his name in blood, before nicking his fingers and placing it underneath. "Is that...?" he was asking but he couldn't finish his sentence as he was poofed away.

* * *

When he opened his eyes, he was greeted with the sight of a gruff Takao who growled at him. "Finally. You took long enough" he barked out but Naruto was too busy staring all around. It was the most beautiful place he had ever seen. They were most likely in the largest bamboo forest he had ever seen and the bamboo trees were twice as tall as the trees that were in Konoha. The large bamboo trees swayed with a creaky noise and paper lanterns were lighting up one of the many paths that ran through the forest.

"Amazing" he breathed out, as he took in the scenic atmosphere. "This is your home?" he asked, as Ko poofed beside him.

"Yep, it's cool, right?" he asked and Takao grunted at his brother. "Brother, we need to get him to the meeting" he added.

"This was a bad idea, Ko" Takao said, looking down at Naruto. "They won't like it once they found out he's here" he added.

"He needs to be here" Ko said and Takao sighed at the little cub. "We have to hurry!" he added.

"Hop on" Takao snapped at Naruto who blinked in confusion. "Your puny legs won't be fast enough so you have to hop on" he added and sat down with a thud.

"I don't think..." he was saying, but Takao used his big paw to push the blonde towards him. "Alright!" he shouted at Takao who seemed to frown at him. He climbed up, carefully and soon enough, Ko jumped up as well. He settled himself in front of Naruto with a smile.

"Hold on!" Ko shouted and Naruto barely had time to do as told because Takao had stood on his feet before zooming out of the bamboo forest.

* * *

When they came to a stop, Naruto's hair had turned into a frizzled afro. "Next time, warn me!" he shouted at Takao as he sat down. Naruto climbed down with Ko in his arms. "Seriously, how hard was it to warn me?!" he asked but Takao just snorted at him. He turned his attention to the stairs. They were mossy and they didn't have any rails. Flanked at each side of the entrance were large lanterns that lead all the way up. "We have to go there?" he asked and Ko nodded.

"Come on" Ko said, and with that, he followed them. As climbed the steep stairs, he kept looking around, as he saw eyes poking out from behind the bamboo stalks that were on each side of the stairs.

"What happened?" Naruto asked Ko who looked up at him. "You have to tell me what's going on" he added.

"It's the reason why I didn't want your help" Takao said, as he walked in front of them. Naruto frowned and then Takao turned to him. "When Okabe Minoru broke the rules, new ones were put in place. The council forbade our clan from making contact with humans and by accepting your help, our mother broke that rule" he added and Naruto frowned.

"So how was she supposed to get home?!" Naruto asked and Takao looked forward as they continued with their trek.

"According to our leader, she was supposed to find a way on her own, without accepting the help of humans" Takao said, and Naruto shook his head.

"So why didn't someone from the clan poof into the forest in Konoha and get out the fuma shuriken themselves if she shouldn't have accepted my help?!" Naruto asked.

"When our mother chose to fight for Okabe Minoru, she broke another rule" Takao said, as Ko snuggled closer to Naruto. "She was never supposed to reveal herself to the enemy shinobi, making them aware of our existence and as punishment, she was supposed to find a way to take the Fuma shuriken out, on her own" he added.

"That's horrible! The contract between the Tora clan and the Okabe clearly stated that your clan would protect the monks, didn't it? Wasn't she just doing what she was meant to do?" Naruto said and Takao shook his head.

"They don't care about that. All they care about is that she broke the rules, and she must be punished" Takao said. He glanced at Naruto and added "Now it's up to you to prove that you're worthy or else she will die"

* * *

When they made it to the top of the stairs, he stilled at the large tigers congregated in the large circular clearing. Ko jumped out of his arms as the tigers turned to them. There were two large stone lanterns at the top of the stairs, and another two at the other side of the circle. In the middle was a large open fire that flickered in the night sky. Chie was chained down near the fire, and when she saw them, her eyes widened with panic. "Naruto!" she shouted and that was when one of the tigers emerged. Despite the fact that he was a tiger, with orange pelt striped with black, he stood on his hind legs, wearing a black kimono and a blue haori draped on his shoulders. He had a staff in his hand and as he moved towards them, his eyes were narrowed on Ko as well as Takao who shrank under his gaze.

"What is that human doing here?" the tiger asked as he stopped in front of them. The tiger was around the same height as Takao.

"He's the one who saved our mother" Ko said, bowing his head. The leader looked at Ko and then at Takao.

"Get him out of here" the tiger said and when Takao refused to reply, he growled. "Don't make me repeat myself, Takao" he added.

"Leader, he signed the summoning contract" Takao said, looking the leader in the eyes. The other tigers stood up and Naruto stared in both awe as well as terror at those massive beasts.

"What?!" the Leader asked, and with a poof, the scroll was in his hands. He growled at Naruto when he saw his name and his handprint. "Takao" he hissed.

"Then, that means he's right to be here" a larger version of Chie said, as she emerged from the group. "As the new summoner, he has a say in this meeting" she added, and the leader growled.

"Fine" the Leader brusquely said and Naruto cautiously followed him through the path the tigers carved for them. Naruto stood at the sidelines, and when his eyes met Chie's, he shot her a reassuring smile. "This meeting has been called to discuss the punishment of Chie" he said, and his voice boomed around the clearing. "She has broken the rule of secrecy when she requested the help of that human" the leader said, pointing his large paw at Naruto.

"According to the contract, the summoner is the only human allowed to help our clan" Takao said, and the Leader's eyes narrowed at him. "She didn't break any rules, it was in jurisdiction of the contract" he added and the other tigers mumbled.

"But he didn't sign the contract as yet, therefore that claim has been refuted" the Leader said and some of the tigers nodded at what he said. "Therefore, for breaking the rule, she must be placed to death" he said. With that a tiger with a large metal axe moved towards Chie who tried to get out of her restraints.

"No!" Naruto shouted and moved in front of her. He pulled out his kunai as the tigers went on the offensive. "I won't let you kill her because of me!" he shouted and gripped his kunai. "She doesn't' deserve this!" he shouted as the Leader who looked at him. Naruto didn't care that he was outnumbered, out powered and out gunned. He had to at least try, especially since Ko was crying and shouting for his mother. He would not let the cub's mother die. Not when he could do something, no matter how little it was! "Family protects each other, not kill them because they broke the rules!" he shouted and the tigers whispered as he took a stand in front of them. "Let her go" Naruto said. "Don't you think her exile into the forests of Konoha was punishment enough?" he asked and they looked at each other. The other tigers whispered as the young blonde refused to move from in front of Chie.

"Section three, paragraph ten" an elderly tiger spoke, as he calmly approached. The crowd parted for him and the leader's eyes widened. "It clearly states that in the case of execution if there is any sort of strife, the high elder can step in" he spoke, stopping in front of the leader. Naruto was going to open his mouth, but Chie shook her head. _Not now._ His mouth snapped close as the tigers bowed their heads in respect. Whoever the old tiger was, Naruto was sure about one thing, he was important.

"High elder" the leader said though the older tiger was staring at Naruto. "Since you're here, I assume you have a solution to this problem we're facing right now" he leered. The old tiger studied Naruto's face, and seemed to smirk.

"Do you truly wish to save Chie-chan, boy?" he asked Naruto, ignoring the leader's question. "Would you do anything to save her? Even risk your own life for hers?" he added.

"I would" Naruto said without any hesitation. The high elder nodded, obviously pleased with his answer.

"There you go then. We have our solution" the High elder said and the leader's eyes narrowed. "This boy, our new summoner, will fight for Chie-chan's life in a duel of honor" he added. It took a few seconds to sink in. When it did, pandemonium ensued.

"Settle down" the leader barked at his clansmen's outrage. "High elder, I must implore you to rethink your solution" he spoke.

"Oh, are you questioning my authority, Leader?" the older tiger asked, and they stared at each other. The two refused to back down from the unspoken challenge. Tension zipped and zoomed in the air around them. As ten seconds passed, the tension rose higher, until it came to a sudden halt when the leader bowed his head a little. An act of submission.

"No" the leader finally said, and the High elder smirked. "Very well" the Leader said and Naruto watched with narrowed eyes. "The young summoner, Uzumaki Naruto will fight for Chie's life in a duel of honor" he added.

"And pray tell, who will he fight?" the larger version of Chie asked. A glint flashed across the Elder's eyes.

"Mikio. He will fight Mikio" the elder tiger spoke. Even the leader's eyes widened with such a declaration.

"High Elder, please reconsider...!" the Leader was saying when a large white tiger, stood up.

"I will fight him" 'Mikio' said, rolling his shoulders. Naruto gulped. He was supposed to fight HIM? Seriously? The tiger seemed to be the largest one there. Mikio smirked at him.

"Then it's settled" the high elder spoke, while Naruto's knees knocked together.

"Wait" Takao said, all eyes spinning in his direction. "I will take Naruto's place. I will fight in his stead" he added. Oh Kami, how much surprises were these tigers willing to throw at him? His heart could that only so much.

"Takao, that is impossible. The decision has already been made" the High elder spoke, leaving no room for disagreement. However Takao was not ready to give up, as he moved to speak, but Naruto stopped him.

"It's okay Takao. I will fight for her. I will win" Naruto declared.

* * *

"I'm not going to win" Naruto mumbled to himself, watching Mikio from his side of the arena. Why did he always seem to find himself in such situations? Mikio swung his now obtained club, even going as far as weighing it in his paws.

"You WILL win. You have no choice in the matter" Takao growled from his side. Naruto glared at the tiger.

"Shut up. I'm trying to think" Naruto said. He glanced at a smiling Chie. Here was a mother, he thought, whose life was depending on him. Ko shouted his name, wishing him luck.

"Do you see why you can't lose now?" Takao asked him.

"Takao" Naruto said, turning to the tiger. "You totally called me by my name back then" he cheekily grinned while Takao rolled his eyes.

"Just get out there" Takao barked.

* * *

Sweat slicked his forehead as he stared at Mikio. Mikio was at least fifty feet tall, had a coat of white fur that resembled snow, completed with grey stripes. His eyes were narrowed and the right one was cloudy with a scar running from the eyebrow to his cheek. That meant that his right eye was blind. _Alright. He could work with that._ "Our two warriors step forward" the Leader shouted and they did as instructed. "Today, as you two combat, the stakes will be higher than they've ever been" he said when his eyes landed on Naruto. "Chie's life lies in the balance. Whether or not she lives, depends on the outcome of this battle. Uzumaki Naruto, if you lose here today, Chie's life will be forfeit" he announced and his hands shook but he managed to nod. "The rules are, there are no rules" the leader said and the crowd roared in anticipation. "Let the battle begin" he shouted before leaving Naruto to face off the mammoth Mikio.

* * *

Not one had moved. Naruto's stomach flipped before it flopped as Mikio decided to make the first move. He swung his club and it took a moment for his legs to play catch up with his brain. _**SHIT.**_ "Naruto!" Ko shouted and Naruto jumped over the wooden death. Using the club as a bridge, he ran up the thing. However Mikio would not have that. He swiped his massive paw, intending on wiping him out. Naruto twisted out of the way but not before he threw a hail of shuriken his way. Naruto winced when he landed on the ground especially since Mikio started to laugh with some of the other tigers joining in.

"Pathetic human, is that all you can do? He mocked but Naruto ignored him. He had to come up with a plan if he was going to win. However before he could even think, Mikio stalked forward. **Roll. Jump. Duck.** "Dance little human, dance!" the tiger shouted as Naruto continued to evade the club. Naruto slid across the floor as the club came down on him once more. Rocks dugs into his palms but he got up. Before he could move, he felt something heavy press against his chest.

"Naruto!" someone shouted but all he could concentrate on was the pain. Damn, he whispered as his body sailed through the air. He felt when his body fell to the ground, before it rolled, until settling face first on the dirt. Kami, he felt like he was chewed up and spat out. He couldn't even scream or shout, just groan.

" _ **How disappointing"**_ a voice whispered and he tried to focus his blurry vision. " _ **Are you really going to just lay there and give up**_?" The voice asked.

" **IF SO, THEN THAT'S NOT ONLY DISAPPOINTING, IT'S LIKE THE OVERGROWN CAT SAID: PATHETIC"** another voice added. Naruto shuddered. The voice sounded like sharp nails scraping across a chalkboard.

"I can't get up. I can't even move" Naruto spoke back.

" _ **For someone who consistently boasts of not giving up, look at you now" the voice sneered.**_

"I'm not ..." he said but stopped himself.

" **YOU ARE GIVING UP. THAT'S REALLY SAD. FOR ONE WHO PLANS TO BECOME HOKAGE, YOU'RE CONSTANTLY LOSING. THE HOKAGE IS YOUR VILLAGE'S LEADER, RIGHT? A LEADER IS ONE WHO WINS, SO IT MAY BE DIFFICULT FOR A LOSER LIKE YOU"** the voice bitterly spoke. Naruto gurgled on his blood pooling around his body.

"Shut up! I'll become Hokage and win this duel!" Naruto declared his fingers twitching at his silent demand to stand. "I will win" he softly whispered as his arms moved an inch. "I WILL WIN" he shouted as his legs obeyed his command. Despite the agonizing pain of broken bones and torn flesh, he stood. He felt like vomiting but he looked at Mikio dead in the eyes. He had a plan.

" **GOOD, I'LL HELP YOU"** the voice darkly chuckled and Naruto's eyes widened. Red energy engulfed him, and a scream escaped his lips as bones were repaired, veins were knitted together once more, as flesh met flesh so the tears were mended. He fell to the ground on his knees, when the process was finished. His hands were dirtied by the blood and he studied his reflection in the crimson puddle. All his injuries were fixed! How was that possible? " **THIS WAS NOT FOR NOUGHT, BRAT. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS 'GENEROSITY' WILL BE REVEALED SOON"** the voice added before it disappeared.

"Interesting" Mikio said but grinned. "But it won't help you" he shouted and Naruto quickly stood up. A hot flurry of trickling liquid seemed to set his blood on fire before melting into his veins. Something in his mind clicked off, while something else clicked on. His fingernails grew, his front canines got longer while his eyes bled into red slits. Oh yes, he was ready to kick this kitty's ass! But he had to act quickly. He timed the club, before he dodged. Using the adrenaline, he swerved. Pumping chakra into his legs, he set to work. He slashed at the tiger's legs where he knew would be one of the tiger's vulnerable spots. Blood sprayed on his face and the tiger roared, but Naruto didn't stop. Like a man possessed, he continued to cut through flesh and fur until he saw bone. No matter how much Mikio tried, Naruto could not be stopped. Soaked in blood, Naruto watched as the tiger fell to his knees. NOW! Mikio didn't even see it coming. A kunai with a tag attached to it, embedded itself in his cornea. A howl raced to the air as the tag went off. A howl that would forever be embedded into Naruto's mind. Mikio slumped to the floor, still as the air around them. Red discolored white. Naruto blinked and the high he was riding disappeared. His eyes widened as he looked at Mikio.

"Uzumaki Naruto is the winner" the leader said stepping forward. He looked at the blonde who bent forward. Naruto couldn't help it. Before he knew it, he threw up right where he stood.

* * *

Author's notes: First off, I would like to apologize for my lack of updates. It's just that I've been busy with school and life on the whole but that doesn't excuse me, so I'm sorry. Secondly, I would like to take this time to answer the last two reviews posted for this fic.

Skg1991: I know it's frustrating that Naruto keeps losing. If you should know, your review motivated me to write this chapter. Now he has one win in his name. Does a tiger count? Finally I know that you want a bad ass Naruto so if you would be patient with me, he'll come. But it will take time. You must remember that unlike the other clan heirs in his class, he's not PROPERLY trained like they are. I have to work with him, provide him with a person who'll help him and that's why I introduced him to Anko. Badass Naruto is on his way. Rest assured.

Sandy: I haven't exactly planned out what direction Naruto will be heading down. But that's what I love about writing this fic. It writes itself and I'm just here for the ride like you, the readers are. So you'll just have to keep reading to see where it will go.


	26. Chapter 22

Twenty two – Climbing to the top

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

Naruto stared at Mikio's slumped body and the inside of his mouth got even drier. "Winner: Uzumaki Naruto" the leader annotated and even though it was his first victory, there were no applause or even cheers from the crowd of tigers. Not even Ko could look him in the eyes. His stomach churned at such a thought, before the last of his energy that was keeping him awake, drained from him. Without warning, he fell forward, unconsciousness. Surprisingly though, Takao was the only tiger to catch him before he could hit the ground. The Leader who was rubbing his eyes, sighed.

"Get the medic here now!" he barked and the shock they all felt soon faded as they rushed to the blood soaked Mikio.

* * *

He felt like he was floating. To be more specific, he felt like he was floating on water. As he opened his eyes, he searched the place he currently found himself in. "Hello?" he called, as he sat up in the water logged hallway. Darkness seemingly stretched for miles and for one thing, the place seemed like a sewer. Where the hell was he? The last thing he could remember was fighting with...Mikio! He immediately stood up, albeit a little wobbly. With his clothes clinging to his body, he attempted to take a step forward, when he heard it. **Whistling.**

" _ **In search of new lands I build a new house...**_ _"_ someone sang, and the hairs on his hand stood up. He knew that song...he often heard old man Riku singing that song but never that way... That voice was too deep, too dark, too distorted. _"_ _ **I thatch the house with reed stalks, gathered neatly in bundles..."**_ *the voice got closer and automatically, his body took a step backwards. The coldness surrounding him was getting worse. His hands started to shake and his teeth chattered against each other. Whatever or whoever it was, was getting close to him.

"Stay away" the words came out but that was when he could see eyes staring at him from the shadows. They were as red as Mikio's blood.

" _ **It's too late for that now, Naruto**_ " the person screamed. Arms stretched forward ready to snatch him...

* * *

...But thankfully, someone woke him up. Chie was hovering over him with a worried look on her face. "Are you okay, Naruto?" she asked and Ko who was sitting on her head was just as concerned as she was.

"I'm fine" he said as he sat up and he could feel the sweat on his skin. "Just a bad dream" he lied and Takao snorted from his position in the corner. "Shut up" he playfully snapped at the bad tempered tiger.

"Naruto!" Ko shouted and before he knew it, the cub leapt into his lap. Chie smiled while Takao rolled his eyes. "I thought something happened to you" he sniffed as he nuzzled his chest.

"I'm fine" Naruto said, patting the cub's head. "I thought you all were..." he was saying but stopped himself. "Where's Mikio?" he asked looking at Chie and then Takao.

"The medic is attending to him right now" Chie said while Takao studied the blonde who was lying in the bed.

"Is he..?" Naruto asked and Chie paid him a look that translated that she didn't know. "Oh. Then what about you, Chie-san? What did the Leader say?" he said.

"Well, you won so obviously she was saved" Takao said and Naruto nodded his head but he was not his usual cheerful self.

"That's good" Naruto said, as he petted Ko. However with the voices that had spoken to him during the fight and the previous incident, had him on edge.

"Naruto, you don't have to feel guilty for what happened" Chie said, and he looked at her. "You won and that in itself is great. You should be proud" she added with a kind smile on her face.

"Thanks" he whispered but what he really wanted to say was: Even though I did win, why don't I feel good about what I did?

* * *

Some days later (Time skip again ~^.^~)

"How is he?" the Sandaime asked as they stood on the edge of the training grounds. Anko was standing beside him as they watched the blonde who blasted off the tree for what seemed like the millionth time. He had already made it three quarters of the way. "Tomorrow is the genin exams" he added as he puffed on his pipe.

"He'll make it" Anko said, as she studied her protégé. "I know he will" she said, turning to him.

"I have to say, you're a better teacher than I thought you would be" the Sandaime said, as Naruto shouted at the tree.

"He's a good kid and I feel like I have to try my best when I'm around him" Anko said, and the Sandaime watched as blood flowed from Naruto's hands. "He spent these last few nights here. Most of the times, I had to carry him back to his apartment" she added.

"Naruto was always a hard worker. When he makes up his mind to do something, he always finds a way" the Sandaime said and Anko nodded. They watched as Naruto sat down and winced as he placed ointment on his hands.

"I wanted to talk to you" Anko said and turned to the Sandaime. "Why the hell are you putting Hatake as his jounin sensei?" she whispered angrily. The Sandaime took out the pipe from his mouth. "Hatake wouldn't be able to teach those brats, you know that. Not when he's always feeling sorry for himself" she added.

"Anko, you need to cut Kakashi some slack. You have to understand, he lost everyone around him. He lost his father, his teacher and his team. No one can understand the personal hell that Kakashi is in" the Sandaime said, as Naruto stood up once more.

"We all lost people close to us, Sandaime" she hissed though they were watching Naruto as he stretched, ready to try again. "But you don't see us wallowing in our sadness" she added, and with a loud 'Yosh!' Naruto was off again.

"I understand that you're worried about Naruto, but you can't knock Kakashi down like that, Anko. I agree, we all have experienced our share of loses, but everyone grieves differently. While you rather torture, I personally like a nice cup of sake and Kakashi? He likes to visit that memorial stone so he can talk to his sensei and his team" the Sandaime said.

"I get what you're saying, but with all due respect Sandaime, with that kind of thinking, Hatake will get those brats killed" she said, and the Sandaime looked at her. "I know for a fact that he was the one who requested both the Uchiha brat and Naruto on his team. You know what he's trying to do, right? He thinks that he can bring those brats together like his sensei did with his own team" she added, and the Sandaime frowned.

"Didn't I tell you when I recognized you as his teacher? Sasuke and Naruto share the same pain and they are the only ones who can understand each other. Naruto has gained a family while Sasuke continues to isolate himself from the village. He refuses anyone's pity and he acknowledges nothing but his goal. He needs this just as much as Naruto does" the Sandaime said.

"I call bullshit" Anko said and the Sandaime sighed. "That might be your words, but that logic is the council's. Why do you think two Sharingan users are on the same team as the Kyuubi Jinchuriki? One, they want Hatake to personally train the brat, and two, they want to make sure that Naruto or more specific the Kyuubi, is contained in case something happens" she added and the Sandaime didn't say anything.

"Why are you pushing this so far, Anko?" the Sandaime asked her and she just turned to Naruto as he fell to the ground on all fours.

"I don't want to see Hatake make Naruto his second priority. That silver haired bastard will hurt Naruto and when he does, I don't want to have to ram a kunai up his perverted ass" Anko said.

"It's great that you care about Naruto so much but you have to accept that he will be on Kakashi's team when he graduates" the Sandaime said and Anko frowned. "But that doesn't change the fact that you're his sensei" he added.

"That doesn't make me feel better but you're right. I'll teach Naruto when that Hatake doesn't" Anko said as Naruto sat on the ground, trying to catch his breath. "He's MY student and no perverted bastard will change that" she stated and the Sandaime chuckled.

* * *

With one day away from the genin exams, Naruto was anxious. Like always the Academy was over early so the teachers as well as the instructors could prepare for the exams. In addition, Riku and Ami had given him the day off so he could train. As he was walking out the Academy, he thought about how he still hadn't reached the top of the tree. "Damn it" he whispered as he kicked a pebble.

"Hey" someone said and when he turned, he saw Tenten looking at him. "Are you okay?" she asked and he took off the hood.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What are you doing here?" he asked, as some of the students were staring at her and her forehead protector.

"I just came from another mission. Neji had training to do so he refused my offer at lunch and Lee's off with Gai-sensei so I thought I could catch you for that dango you promised me" she said and studied his face. "Is this a bad time?" she asked.

"No. Let's get that dango" he said and she smiled as they walked off. "So, how was the mission? Was it another one of those that sucked?" he asked.

"Pretty much" she said, glancing at him. "I'm guessing that you're worried about the genin exams tomorrow" she added and he nodded.

"I still can't make three bunshin, only two" he said and she listened to him. "If I don't finish Anko-sensei's training, I won't be able to make the last bushin I need for the exams" he added.

"Tell me what this training is and maybe I can be able to help you" she said and he looked at her.

"The tree walking exercise" he said and her eyes widened. "What?" he asked and she shook him.

"You're doing that exercise already?" she asked him and he nodded. "That's only issued to newly minted genin teams, do you know how lucky you are?" she asked and he arched an eyebrow. "How far have you gotten?" she added.

"Three quarter way" he said and she smiled. "Why are you smiling like that?" he asked her.

"I can help you! Gai-sensei taught me that exercise though I had to do it on my own! Let's go!"She shouted.

"Wait!" he said and she stopped before turning to him. "I have a special training ground we can go to" he added.

* * *

"You've got to be kidding me! This is the special training grounds you were talking about?!" Tenten asked as they stood in the Forest of Death. "I've heard rumors of this place, and to be actually standing here, it's awesome" she whispered and he smiled. Tenten was awed by the weirdest things. She turned to him and took off one of the large scrolls that she always had behind her back. She flexed her fingers and stretched her legs.

"So, how do you plan to help me?" he asked, warming up as well. She turned to the tree, and observed the kunai marks running up the tree.

"Impressive" she said and he nearly smiled at the appraisal. She closed her eyes and with a seal, she walked up the tree with ease. When she was at the halfway mark, she stopped. "Gather your chakra and meet me halfway" she said and he quirked an eyebrow. "You'll see how I'm helping you. Just do what I say" she added and he closed his eyes. He placed the kunai in his mouth and with a seal, he ran up the tree. When he met her halfway, his chakra wavered as he was forced to stand on one spot, vertically on the tree. "Give me your hands" she said and he hesitantly did as he was told. When their hands made contact, she smiled. He looked into her eyes and she said "Hold onto your chakra, and follow me". He gulped and nodded as she walked backwards, guiding him up the tree. Sweat ran down his back, and he could feel his control slipping by the minute. "You're the one in control, hold onto it" she said and he gripped her hands tighter as they walked up the tree. Tenten looked at him. His face was set in a grimace, he clamped his mouth down on the handle of the kunai and his eyes were narrowed, as they continued up the tree. They were nearing the top, when he felt his control slipping like a piece of thread lost to the wind. "Listen to me, we're nearly there. Don't lose" she said, and with those words, he bit into the kunai handle even more. He squeezed his eyes shut. His muscles felt like liquid fire as he mentally held on to the energy swishing around his body. He started to wheeze with the next step. "Just two more" he could hear her whisper but she felt so far away from him. He could feel his fingers slipping out of hers but she pulled him towards her. "You're here!" she shouted and his eyes snapped open. She quickly helped him onto the branch and he panted as he sat down. His body ached and he struggled to get air back into his lungs. "Good job!" she said, patting his shoulder and when he looked at her, he flashed a bright smile at her. "How does the view look from here?" she asked, gazing out at the sky. He leaned on the tree and allowed the wind to tussle his hair.

"It's great to be at the top for once" he breathed in and she just chuckled.

* * *

DAY OF THE GENIN EXAMS

At the first light of morning, Naruto sat up on his bed. His nerves were on overdrive since last night. This was it, he thought as he stood up. "Today will determine everything" he whispered to himself. Because of Tenten, he knew he had a chance at passing. With a quick shower and change of clothes, he sat down at the table, organizing his gear, when someone knocked on his door. When he opened up, he was met with the anxious faces of Riku and Ami.

"Good morning gaki" Riku said as they pushed their way in the apartment. "Ah, so you're getting ready for today" he added as Ami placed a basket on the table.

"What are you guys doing here?" Naruto asked with confusion in his voice. Ami just took out the side dishes from the basket and patted the chair. "Ami-chan?" he asked and closed the door.

"Do you think we would send you off to such an important exam with an empty stomach?" she asked and he smiled as he sat down. "Besides, we came here to wish you luck" she added as she served him breakfast.

"She's right. We can't just let you go off without a little luck" Riku said, moving to the window. "Today is a big day for you, gaki" he added and Naruto nodded. "So, how do you feel?" he asked as Ami fussed over the blonde.

"I feel like I want to throw up" Naruto confessed and Ami patted his head. He gave thanks and started to dig in, when he noticed that they weren't eating. "What about you two?" he asked, with the chopsticks at his lips.

"We already had breakfast, so don't worry about us" Ami said, pouring him some orange juice. He thanked her and Ami looked around the apartment. "Huh, so you managed to keep it clean this time" she said, and he shot her a sheepish look.

"Naruto-kun!" someone shouted and Naruto nearly choked on his food. He stood up from his chair as Riku moved to open the door. When he did, there stood Lee and Tenten smiling at him. "My youthful friend!" he shouted and Tenten had to hold him back.

"Sorry about that" Tenten said to Riku and Ami who were staring owlishly at the green clad boy. "We're Naruto's friends. I'm Tenten and this is Lee" she introduced and the boy finally noticed Riku as well as Ami. They bowed and then Lee shot them a smile.

"Greetings, Naruto's family!" he shouted and Ami chuckled at the enthusiastic boy. "As my team mate said, my name is Lee and I'm a friend of Naruto's" he added.

"I'm Riku and this is my niece, Ami" Riku said and they bowed. "Don't stand in the doorway, come inside" he added, but Lee shot him an apologetic smile.

"We can't. We're off to another mission so we thought we would just visit Naruto to wish him luck" Tenten said looking at Naruto. "Go and ace that exam!" she said and he smiled at her.

"Thanks" he said rubbing behind his neck. "And thanks for your help yesterday" he added and she waved him off.

"It was no problem, you just owe me some dango" she said and he nodded. "Come on, Lee. Gai-sensei and Neji are probably waiting for us already" she added.

"Good luck with your exams, Naruto-kun. I know for a fact that you will pass, because as I said, you're a genius of hard work. Show them what we can do!" he shouted and Naruto nodded at him.

"See you later, Naruto and it was nice meeting you" Tenten said and with a wave, they disappeared just as they came.

"You have some energetic friends, gaki" Riku said, closing the door. Naruto sat back down and finished his breakfast. "But I can tell that they're good friends" he added and Naruto looked at him.

"You're right about that" Naruto said, swallowing. Ami moved to tidy up his apartment and Riku chuckled at his niece who was more nervous than the blonde himself.

"So, are you ready?" Riku asked and Naruto wiped his mouth with the back of his palm.

"Yeah" he said, and clenched his fists. He would ace the exams this time, because unlike the other attempts, he had people supporting him.

* * *

MEANWHILE

"I knew you would confront me" the High Elder said as soon as the Leader walked into the dimly lit room. Though his back was towards the other tiger, he still knew when the Leader entered.

"You knew, didn't you?! You knew what that boy held inside of him and you still chose Mikio to fight him!" the Leader shouted. The High Elder turned to the angry Leader who was seemingly ready to attack him.

"Of course I knew. I wouldn't be the High Elder if I didn't. What of it?" the tiger responded as he walked over to where some incense was burning.

"Why couldn't you just let me handle that situation? I had everything under control!" the Leader shouted as some killing intent leaked into the room.

"Chie was going to be killed, how was that having things under control?" the High Elder asked with a sardonic smile on his face.

"Don't you dare!" the Leader snapped at the High Elder who walked towards him. "Chie had to atone for what..." he was going to say when a hand shot out and wrapped itself painfully around his neck. The words got lodged in his throat as that same hand held his wind pipe in a hurtful grip.

"Are you certain that you're judging Chie based on the betrayal regarding the monks or some other personal betrayal?" he asked, watching as the Leader's eyes narrowed at such an accusation. The High Leader released him before pushing him away. "I did what was necessary, end of discussion. After all, I couldn't let my daughter in law die, right?" he chuckled as the Leader choked on air.

"So...you...sacrificed...Mikio?" the Leader managed to ask as he stood up. "You knew the boy would loose control" he added.

"No, I didn't" the High Elder said and the Leader frowned. "And as for sacrificing Mikio, weren't you ready to do the same to Chie? How was what you were willing to do, different to what I did?" he asked, and the Leader's eyes fell to the floor. "You blamed her for having betrayed you. That was why you were ready to have her executed; you were ready to sacrifice her even in front of Takao and Ko. Weren't you, O'Leader?" he asked but the other tiger couldn't say anything. "Don't be such a hypocritical drama queen, Hisao. As the Leader of our clan, it's rather unbecoming" he added. Before Leader Hisao could refute, someone called for them from behind the door. "Enter" High Elder spoke and another tiger bowed as he did as instructed.

"High Elder, Leader. I have news" the tiger said as he knelt. He paused before he could look at them. " **Mikio is dead** " rang loud throughout the room.

* * *

Author's notes: Dum dum dum...Indeed, the tiger known as Mikio has perished for those who wanted to know. Sighs. May he rest in fictional, hypothetical peace.

On a less angsty note: I updated! Yay~ You don't know much paper died for this chapter to come to life.

Anyhoo, I just wanted to say: I hope your Christmas was great as well as fulfilling and kudos goes out to everyone who still supports this fic. Thanks you all.

* Taken from the first two TRANSLATED lines of the song "Obokuri Eeumi" from the anime Samurai Champloo by Ikue Asazaki.


	27. Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty three – Betrayal

Disclaimer: I do not own...I've been doing this for such a long time now, so much so that you can finish that sentence by yourself.

* * *

After paying his goodbyes to Ami and Riku at the entrance of the Academy, he made his way inside. Nearing his classroom, he was met with a trembling Hyuga Hinata. "Hinata, you okay?" he asked as he pulled down his hood. The girl turned to him and nearly jumped.

"N-Naruto-kun" she breathed out in relief and he smiled. "I-I-I w-was w-worried" she added and he noticed that she did a once over, just to make sure that he wasn't injured in any sort of way.

"Why?" he asked as they walked inside. Everyone was tense, and no one talked. Not even Kiba, who was the most energetic of them all. He was quiet as can be as he got his writing utensils ready. They sat down and got ready themselves.

"Y-you n-n-n-normally r-r-reach e-e-earlier s-s-so I t-thought s-something happened" she said, placing her three pencils in a line.

"I'm fine" he said rubbing his hands together. "And thanks to your ointment, I was able to heal up for today" he whispered and she blushed. The instructors filed in, and Iruka smiled warmly at them all. Everyone straightened up as the scarred man addressed them.

"Let the genin exams begin" he said.

* * *

Naruto stood outside the classroom, pacing as he waited for the instructors to call his name. He was right after Sasuke, a fact he was none too happy about. His hands were clammy as the clock ticked away the seconds. That was when Sasuke walked out followed by Iruka who wore a bright smile. Sasuke had a smug look on his face as he held his forehead protector. "Congratulations again, Sasuke" Iruka said and the boy just 'hnned' before his eyes zeroed in on Naruto who stilled. Naruto's eyes immediately looked away from the pale boy, shutting out his deriding expression. Since his little encounter with the Uchiha, he planned to stay far away from the boy. So when Sasuke passed him, he ignored the comment of 'Good luck dobe, you'll need it' and stared straight at Iruka. "Come on in, Naruto" Iruka said and Naruto nodded. As they walked back into the classroom, Iruka placed his hand on his shoulder. "Do your best" he quietly said, effectively surprising the blonde.

"Uzumaki Naruto" Mizuki, one of the instructors that still didn't like Naruto, barked at him. Iruka shot the man a chiding expression before smiling at Naruto.

"Can you perform the henge please?" Iruka asked as they pulled out their clipboards. Naruto's hands shook but he nodded before forming a seal. With a light puff of smoke, his image turned into that of Iruka himself. Iruka, who was impressed, wrote down something on his clipboard. "You can release it. Thank you, Naruto" he said and with another puff, Naruto stood in front of him once more. "I'm going to throw a blunt kunai at you and I want you to perform a kawarimi" he said and Naruto took a deep breath, readying himself. "Alright, on three" he said and Naruto brought his hands closer to his body. He watched as Iruka took up the kunai on the desk and he said "One...two... three". Naruto watched as Iruka threw the kunai at him, and time seemed to slow down.

"Tiger, boar, ox, dog, snake" he thought as he swiftly performed the seals. With the kunai just in front of him, he changed places with one of the chairs in the classroom.

"Good job" Iruka said and he looked up at him. He could feel the pride radiating off the scarred man as he wiped his forehead. "Now for the final task, as always, you need to create three bunshin of yourself" he added, and now Naruto could feel Mizuki's eyes on him. He didn't like the look the man was throwing his way. It was like he was just waiting for him to fail.

"Not today" Naruto thought as he brought his hands to a seal. He closed his eyes and whispered "Just three". He called upon his chakra with a prayer in mind. "Come on" he pleaded and focused on his task at hand. When he opened his eyes, he was aware of someone clapping. Iruka smiled at all the four blondes that were present. Without needing to be told, Naruto released a breath along with the jutsu as Iruka walked up to him. **Three seconds.** Though it wasn't much, it had allowed him his long awaited pass.

"I present to you, your forehead protector. With this, you're now a genin of Konoha" Iruka said, placing it into his trembling hands. Now that the adrenaline had seeped from his veins, he collapsed on the floor. He couldn't believe it. He had finally passed. "Congratulations" Iruka said as Naruto touched the cool metal with his hands. He traced the leaf symbol with his finger and Iruka patted his head.

"I did it!" he shouted and Iruka chuckled as Naruto wobbly rushed to his feet. "Thank you, Iruka-sensei!" he added and with a nod, he left.

* * *

"Naruto!" someone shouted as he was making his way out down the hall. When he turned, it was Mizuki. Naruto skidded to a halt, and he cautiously looked at the man. "Come here for a second" he said and Naruto frowned. He wanted to go outside so that he could show Ami, Riku and Anko-sensei the forehead protector but he decided to see what the slimy man wanted. "Congratulations on passing" the man said, though his eyes told a different story. It was more like he was pissed off more than anything. "But even though you passed, you know that you're not the Rookie of the year, right?" he asked and Naruto just shot him a blank look, one he reserved for the villagers.

"So? I passed. That's all I need" Naruto said, ready to turn his back on the man, when said man grabbed hold of his elbow. His icy touch made Naruto flinch and Mizuki immediately let him go.

"Sorry, kid" Mizuki said, with narrowed eyes. "Don't you want to know who IS Rookie of the year?" he asked, and Naruto shook his head. "Come on, you're telling me that you're not even a little interested to know that Sasuke is Rookie of the year?" he whispered and Naruto's eyes widened. "Oops" the man muttered though there was smile on his face.

"That teme is Rookie of the year?" Naruto asked and Mizuki nodded. **He wanted to smile to himself. He knew he had the brat's attention now.**

"Yeah, he is" Mizuki said, circling him. "Just between you and me, I think that will just set him off, don't you think? I mean, he already thinks he's the greatest, do you have any idea what this will do to him? He'll treat you worse than before. Do you remember what happened last time? How he humiliated you in front of the entire classroom? Treated you just like those villagers? Looked at you with the same scorn? Judged you just like they do?" he whispered and he watched as Naruto's hands clenched into fists as memories assaulted him. Though Naruto couldn't see, Mizuki's face had a nasty smile on it. **He knew he had the brat where he wanted him**. "However, I have a way for you to catch up to him, to earn that spot as Rookie of the year" he whispered in his ear and Naruto looked at the man as he stood in front of him. "Are you in?" he asked and Naruto felt like he was making a deal with the devil. However, the aspect of Sasuke being Rookie of the year was much worse. He couldn't have that bastard looking down on him again.

"Yeah" he said and Mizuki smirked at him.

* * *

Riku looked at Ami as they stood in front of the Academy entrance. They were patiently waiting for Naruto to show up. Some of the other parents glanced their way, some even turning up their noses but Ami just puffed out her chest even more. She was proud of her kid brother no matter what. "Where is he?" she asked and Riku looked around, until he spotted Iruka.

"Riku-san, Ami-san!" the man greeted and he had a broad smile on his face. "So, did you hear the great news? Naruto passed!" he said. Riku and Ami shared a glance at each other. "What's wrong? I thought you two would be pleased" he added with a confused look on his face. He looked around and asked "Where is Naruto?"

* * *

Cut to : Iruka dashing through the forests, looking for Naruto in a hurried panic. After he spoke to Ami and Riku, they had decided to look for the blonde. He was starting to get worried as he leapt from tree to tree with no sign of his student... until he found the blonde with a large scroll in front of him. "Naruto!" he shouted and the blonde looked up at him. "What are you doing?!" he asked, disbelief in his voice as he recognized the scroll of seals. "Do you have any idea what you've done?!" he shouted.

"Iruka-sensei?" Naruto asked, his eyes shifting from the scarred man to the trees that surrounded them. "What are you doing here?" he whispered to the irate man.

"I should be asking you the same question! What are you doing with that?!" Iruka shouted as he stomped towards him.

"Ano, Iruka-sensei, you have to calm down and listen to me..." Naruto said but the scarred man wouldn't listen.

"Do you know how worried Riku-san and Ami-san are?! They thought something happened to you!" Iruka shouted. "Why did you do such a foolish thing as to take this scroll?" he added, snatching the thing out of Naruto's hands.

"Wait, Iruka-sensei..." Naruto was saying when a hail of shuriken was directed at the man. "Damn it" Naruto whispered. Naruto grabbed his teacher by the waist and pushed them both out of the way. Iruka's eyes widened, as they rolled to the ground. "Mizuki-sensei said that I could earn extra points if I retrieved this scroll and learn something from it" he whispered to his stunned teacher. Iruka was still lying on the ground, clutching onto the scroll for dear life. Shit, I can't let Iruka-sensei get involved in this, Naruto thought. However, before he could leave with his scarred teacher, Mizuki appeared in the clearing.

"What do we have here?" the man asked and Iruka slowly got up. Naruto clenched his fists before he whipped his kunai out, preparing himself to fight the man. Only for Iruka to position himself in front the blonde.

"Iruka-sensei, what are you doing?" Naruto whispered with wide eyes. Iruka straightened his back and smiled at Naruto.

"I'm your teacher, Naruto and it's my job to protect you" Iruka said, patting his head. Naruto's mouth, at that point, had dropped open. Iruka turned to Mizuki and shouted "Mizuki, why would you tell Naruto to steal this scroll?" Iruka slowly slid his hand to the pouch on his leg. "What did you tell him?!" he shouted at him. Mizuki chuckled at the scarred man who was once his friend.

"I fooled the demon brat, that's what I did" Mizuki said and Naruto's eyes narrowed. "Oh, don't look at me like that, brat" he added and took out a large fuma shuriken, resembling the one that was embedded in Chie's paw.

"Why would you do something like this?" Iruka shouted at the man he once shared sake with, after a tiresome day.

" _ **HE**_ promised me power, more than I can ever dream about" he whispered and laughed at Iruka's gob smacked face. "Don't be like that, Iruka-kun. Did you really think I was happy with my job as _teacher_? Please. Not when I can be a powerful shinobi" he added. Naruto gritted his teeth, and was going to move forward, when Iruka beat him to it.

"I told you, Naruto. I will protect you, not the other way around" Iruka said, ready to fight Mizuki, when masked men jumped down in the clearing.

"Good job, gaki" Anko said, slapping Naruto on the shoulder and he smiled at her. Mizuki tensed as Anbu surrounded him.

"What's going on here?" he hissed and Anko turned to him. " **You lied to me**?!" he shouted at Naruto.

"I knew you were up to no good, Mizuki- ** _sensei_** " Naruto said in a mocking tone, as Iruka blinked in confusion. "So when you came to me with that sketchy deal, I went to my real sensei. Do you really think I would listen to you?" he asked with a chuckle as Mizuki's face turned pink with the rage he felt.

"You dare deceive me?!" he shouted and he was going to move, when more than ten katana were poised at his throat.

" **Don't move** " one of the men said in a monotone. Anko placed her hands on her hips and laughed at the chunnin. However, that was when Mizuki's expression slowly twisted into one of malevolence.

"You think you're so clever, huh?" Mizuki asked with his eyes strained on Naruto. "If you're so clever, why can't you figure out why they hate you so much?" he whispered and Naruto stilled at his question. Anko didn't like where he was going with that.

"Shut up, scum" Anko said, turning her back on Mizuki who felt the anger surging through his veins as the Kyuubi brat received compliments from the woman. The child had foiled everything! He wasn't supposed to pass in the first place and now, he was teaming up with jounin to deceive him? He mentally scoffed and a spiteful smile was stamped on his face. **He would crush the brat**.

"Do you know why all of Konoha hates you so much? Why they would even try to kill you on your birthday?" Mizuki shouted and Iruka froze. Naruto's eyes widened as Mizuki continued his assault. "Twelve years ago, a rule was created, one that no one was ever to tell you about. Everyone's lied to you, brat. Your family, the Hokage, even your precious sensei there betrayed you" he whispered and Anko spun around with fear evident in her eyes.

"Shut him up!" she shouted but it was too late. The words slipped out the man's mouth before the men had a chance to knock him out. As his unconscious body fell to the ground, Naruto took a step backwards.

* * *

 **" _You're the Kyuubi_ "** kept replaying his mind. A soggy large blanket had been deposited on his head. What did the man mean by that? How could Naruto be the Kyuubi? He wasn't...and that was when the shouts of monster wormed its way into his mind. **Monster...DEMON.**

"Naruto" Anko said, as the boy's eyes glazed over. When he looked at her, she could see the hurt swimming in those azure orbs.

"Is it true?" he whispered and Iruka closed his eyes, trying to forget everything. "Is it true?!" he roared and Iruka winced.

"I think it's best if I answered that question" the Sandaime said, appearing. The Anbu bowed in respect, as the man approached the blonde.

"What he said was true, wasn't it?" Naruto asked and his accusing eyes were turned to the man he revered as his grandfather.

"Take him away" the Sandaime said and with a nod, the Anbu took off with the traitorous teacher. "It's not true in a sense" he said and Naruto looked at him, searching his face for something.

"What does that mean? Just tell me the truth!" Naruto shouted at him and the Sandaime took out the pipe from his mouth. When no one said a word, he shouted "Tell me!"

"You're not the Kyuubi but it is sealed in you" the Sandaime confessed and Naruto stepped back. "That doesn't mean that you're the Kyuubi, Naruto" he whispered but the blonde wasn't listening to him. He was staring into space. He had seen that look before, and he knew that he had messed up.

"Did you know?" Naruto asked Anko with a choked voice. When the woman looked at her feet, he turned to Iruka who still hadn't opened his eyes. "You all knew" he whispered and the Sandaime reached out for him. "Don't touch me" he hissed and the Sandaime retracted his hand. " **I will never forgive you for this** " he whispered and with that, he ran as fast as his legs could carry him.

* * *

Author's notes: 1) Happy New Year! It's 2016.

2) We've finally reached up to the first episode and chapter of canon Naruto.

3)Naruto managed to perform the henge technique. Some of you may find that hard to believe but thanks to his training, he would be able to manage that technique in just enough time to pass. Besides :The whole reason I took the pains of going into detail of such a training would be for Naruto to actually pull off the technique. If he didn't then all my...I mean his hard work would be for nothing.

4)Naruto has matured somewhat. We know this enough to know, that Naruto isn't that gullible to steal the scroll without alerting Anko or even the Sandaime. So I thought, if he did inform them, how would that play out? And thus, this was borne!


	28. Chapter 24

Chapter twenty four – Coming to terms

Disclaimer: I hold no claim to the series Naruto or anything related to it

Warning: Chapter contains a heavy dose of angst so beware. Feels, feels and more feels are everywhere!

* * *

That night found one Naruto Uzumaki on the Yondaime's carved head, his favorite spot in all of Konoha. With his knees folded up to his chin, he stared out at the village. Everything he knew was a lie. Blank blue eyes swept across the houses in the distance, illuminated by the faint light of the moon. His entire life was a lie. He had a monster sealed into him, and no one, not even the man who had taken care of him his entire life, had the decency to tell him. Now he understood why the villagers loathed him so much. He was a monster. Something no one could love. _**"Poor, poor, Naruto"**_ a voice drifted in the air, which caused all of his limbs to lock up in fear. _**"How can you even think that ANYONE could or would love you?"**_ the words coiled near his ear, in the same voice that he had encountered in that watery hallway some days ago. His hands trembled, not only because of what was said, but because of who said. It was that thing. His voice tightened and his hands started to tremble.

"Shut up!" he screamed, but that only caused the thing to laugh at him. "Leave me alone" he whispered. He buried his face on his legs and gripped onto his pants that were already soaked with tears. It was supposed to be a happy day. He had worked so hard just so he could walk out the Academy with pride, only for everything to fall apart.

"Naruto" someone addressed him and even though he didn't see who it was, he knew it was Iruka. However, instead of greeting the scarred teacher, Naruto didn't even want to look at the man. He was one of those who betrayed him. He was just like the Sandaime, a **hypocrite**.

"Go away" he whispered as he roughly wiped his face. However the man just sat down beside him. "I don't want to talk especially not to _**you**_ " he shouted but Iruka just smiled at him.

"I know you're hurt" Iruka was saying when Naruto interrupted him with a shout of his own.

"You know nothing!" Naruto screamed with a red face. Tears, as cold as the wind that blew, ran down his face. Iruka snapped his mouth close as Naruto buried his face on his legs again. "You're just like _**they**_ are, so don't pretend like you care" he said with a muffled tone.

"I do care" Iruka said and Naruto scoffed at him. "Look at me, I really do care about you, Naruto" the man said, forcing the blonde to look at him.

"You're just a liar" Naruto said and Iruka frowned. "I know that you hate me just like _**they**_ do" he added.

"I don't hate you" Iruka said with a soft voice. Naruto kept his head on his legs and Iruka ran his hand through his brown hair. "I would admit I did hate you at one point" he added and Naruto glanced at him. "You have to understand something Naruto. Twelve years ago, I lost my parents when the Kyuubi rampaged through the village. I was hurt and blinded by my lost, I blamed you" he said but Naruto just shook his head.

"Is that supposed to make everything seem better?!" Naruto shouted at him and Iruka looked away. "You all are so ready to hate and blame me, but have you ever wondered about my feelings in all of this?! I was just a baby when all of this happened! It wasn't like I had a choice in the matter! I didn't even know that thing was sealed into me!" he shouted and Iruka flinched as the blonde delivered the harsh truth to him. Naruto got up and added "You people are all the same".

"Now, that's unfair, Naruto" Iruka said and Naruto just looked down at him through his red, puffy eyes. "I know that I was wrong, and for it, I'm sorry" he said, but Naruto just looked at him.

"That doesn't excuse what you did" Naruto said. "Just because you've apologized, it doesn't make everything you did go away" he added and slumped back down.

"I know it doesn't, but I just wanted you to know how sorry I am, Naruto" Iruka said as they sat in silence. "I understand if you don't forgive me, but the Sandaime is different" he added and Naruto just placed his head on his knees.

"How he is different? He lied to me" Naruto said as a throbbing pain knocked against his skull. His throat was sore from all the crying and his eyes were starting to hurt.

"He protected you, Naruto" Iruka said and Naruto just closed his eyes. "When they... **we** , turned against you, weren't he the one that stood up for you?" he added.

"So why was it so hard to tell me that I have this thing inside of me?!" Naruto shouted as he pointed at himself. "From the day I was born, he's been lying to me!" he shouted and roughly wiped his eyes.

"What would you have him do then, Naruto? How could he explain all of this to you, when you're just a child?" Iruka asked.

"So it's easier to hate a CHILD for something out of his hands, but it's not easy to explain why?" Naruto asked and Iruka's mouth snapped close. "That's what I thought" he added with a bitter roll of his eyes before cradling his head on knees again.

"Why do you think he made the rule in the first place?" Iruka asked and when Naruto didn't answer him, he continued. "He made that rule so he could protect you from them, from us" he added, with a softer voice.

"But it didn't protect me, did it? It didn't stop the stares, the insults or the hate, did it?!" he shouted, and Iruka studied his face. "Did it?!" he shouted, with a rage that threatened to smother him.

"Yes it did" Iruka said and Naruto felt the anger riding his veins like a wave. "What do you think would've happened if the other villages found out that you were... you are the Kyuubi Jinchuriki?" he asked and Naruto let out an unforgiving laugh.

"In order words, he created the rule not to protect me but the Kyuubi Jinchuriki" Naruto said and nodded to himself. "He did that for Konoha, not for me" Naruto said and Iruka forced him to look in his direction.

"Listen here, I know that you're hurt and angry, but you should not direct those emotions onto the Sandaime. If anyone's to blame, if you should hate anyone it should be us, it should be me!" Iruka said. "He's your grandfather and he's done everything in his power to keep you safe. Not like me, who was one of the people that turned on you" he added with ragged breathing. Everything Naruto had said was truth. They had done so many wrong things when it came to blonde, like choosing him as the one to hate, for things the Kyuubi had done. Naruto was right. The blonde was just a babe, and in their grief, they slaughtered the innocence of just a child. If his parents could see him now, he mused with a wry thought. "They would be disappointed in me for what I've done" he whispered to himself but Naruto heard him. Naruto studied the man as he covered his face with his hands, and from the light tremors of his body, he knew that Iruka was crying. He knew that Iruka was beyond a doubt, sorry for his past actions but it was so much easier to hate the chunnin than it was to forgive him. " _ **It's easier, isn't it? To hold onto the hate"**_ the thing conspired in his ear and his hands clenched into fists. _**"After all, he did BETRAY you"**_ it hissed and Naruto blocked whatever it was from corrupting his thoughts. He knew he couldn't do to Iruka was what was done onto him. Naruto placed his hand on the man's shoulder. Despite the fact that he wanted to hate the scarred man, he couldn't. Naruto, by nature, wasn't a malicious person. He was just hurt. By everything that people have done to him, and keep doing to him. He was tired of the betrayal that people kept paying him. Iruka stilled before looking at Naruto through teary eyes.

"I forgive you" he whispered and Iruka immediately engulfed him in a hug. Iruka sobbed on his shoulder and Naruto reluctantly relaxed. Despite his bruised heart, he couldn't hate the man. Not when he was so passionately sorry for what he had done. Naruto looked up at the sky, and he listened to Iruka's constant apologies. "I know, Iruka-sensei. I know you're sorry" he replied and he swore he could hear faint, twisted laughter in the confines of his mind.

* * *

Riku saw Naruto sitting on the bench, with a far away look in his eyes as he stared at the forehead protector in his hands. "So, I'm guessing, you passed" he said as he sat down. Naruto glanced at him and the smile he shot Riku only appeared more disfigured under the street light.

"I did" Naruto softly said without his usual cheeriness. He glanced at Riku and asked "What does it take to forgive someone?" Riku hummed and leaned back on the bench.

"Depends" Riku said and Naruto looked at him. He stared at the stars twinkling in the distance. "It all depends on what the person did and who the person is" he finally added. Naruto watched as a little boy laughed with his parents in the distance.

"What if a family member hurt you so bad, that it feels like there's a hole in your heart?" Naruto asked as he stared at the ground.

"Hmm" Riku said, as he looked at Naruto. "And what did this family member do to cause such a feeling?" he asked.

"He kept something from me, something important" Naruto said and Riku already knew what he was speaking about, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Would this something important hurt you if he did tell you about it?" Riku asked and Naruto clenched the forehead protector in his hands.

"It was important, and he should've told me despite everything" Naruto said and then threw the forehead protector on the bench.

"Parents always try to protect their children" Riku said and Naruto, with hands griping on his legs, looked at him. "We always think we know what's best for them, even when it can be the worst thing we can ever do" he added.

"He wasn't protecting me!" Naruto shouted and Riku looked at him. "He should've..." he was saying when he just gave up on whatever it was he was going to say. "Today was supposed to be a great day" he whispered and Riku placed his hand on his head. "I was supposed to be happy" he choked and Riku placed the boy's head on his shoulder. "I want to be happy" he said with clenched fists and Riku nodded.

"I know" Riku said and Naruto struggled with the tears that threatened to spill. He didn't want to cry anymore. He felt like he spent most of his life with tears falling down his face and sadness in his heart. He just wanted all the hurt and pain to leave him.

"So why can't I be happy?" Naruto whispered and Riku looked down at him. "Every time I feel like I'm going forward, something just pushes me back" he added.

"That something is called life, Naruto" Riku said. "It always finds a way to screw everything up" he added and Naruto leaned on the man. He closed his eyes and evened out his breathing.

"What would you do if you're told you're a monster?" Naruto asked and Riku pulled away from him. Riku ran a hand through his hair, a serious expression on his face.

"Don't ever say that" Riku said before hugging him. "You're not a monster, don't listen to what those idiots say" he said but Naruto couldn't look him in the eye. "You're Uzumaki Naruto and you're our family. Don't ever forget that" he said and that time, Naruto did look at him. "Do you hear me, Naruto? You're our family. Whether you like it or not, you're stuck with us" he added with a firm voice. Naruto nodded and Riku wiped his eyes.

"Thank you" he whispered and Riku's eyes softened. How could those bigoted fools not see what he saw in Naruto? How could they see the Kyuubi brat, when all Riku saw was a strong, spirited kid with a heart of gold? Deciding to ignore the own hatred bubbling in his heart at those ignorant villagers, he ruffled the kid's hair.

"Come on, let's get you some dango" Riku said, standing up whilst holding out his hand to the blonde. With reddened eyes and nose, Naruto looked at the man smiling down on him. Naruto was going to reply, but instead he nodded. When his hand landed on Riku's, he couldn't help but think about how warm the man was. As Riku helped him to his feet, a large hand landed on the middle of his head, causing Naruto to look up at him. "By the way, congratulations on passing your genin exams, gaki" he smiled and Riku wasn't even prepared for the large hug he got in return.

* * *

Encased in nothing but shadows, he stared at the figure in front of him. " **LOOKS LIKE YOUR LITTLE PLAN FAILED"** he said with a devilish smile. Even if he agreed to help him out, that didn't mean they were on the same side, or were comrades. In fact, it was the opposite. He watched as the figure stared at the rippling water. He knew he was watching the scenario play out in front of him, allowing for those faces he hated the most to ingrain themselves in his brain.

" _ **My plan is only now beginning"**_ the figure said, as a hand slapped away the image in front of him. _**"And when I'm done, he'll have no one but me"**_ the figure smirked. He placed his hands behind his head, wading through the water as he walked. _**"No one knows his pain like I do. He needs only ME"**_ were the last words he uttered, the light sounds of whistling to announce his departure.

* * *

Author's notes: So there you have it, chapter twenty four. I would just like to point out that from here on out, even though I'll be following a canonish outline, not everything in canon will be integrated into my story. Some things will change (though nothing major), while others will remain the same.


	29. Chapter 25

Chapter twenty five – Moving forward

Disclaimer : I do not nor will I ever own Naruto

* * *

After the camera flashed and the picture was taken, the Hokage smiled at him. "Thank you, Naruto" the Sandaime said as Naruto placed the hood of his jacket on. Naruto turned to leave, when the Sandaime stopped him. "A moment please, Naruto" he said and Naruto stopped short at the door. They hadn't spoken since the day he found out that he had the Kyuubi sealed inside of him. The Sandaime waited until the cameraman walked out the door, to speak. "How are you doing?" he asked while Naruto stood motionless.

"Good" he replied. He knew that the old man was trying to ease the tension that was bubbling between them. He knew that the Sandaime wanted to fix the cracks that had appeared in their relationship. He wanted to forgive the Sandaime just like he had with Iruka, but with the aged man, it was different. He trusted the Sandaime more, and for the blonde, the betrayal cut deeper than it did with Iruka.

"Good" the Sandaime awkwardly replied and Naruto nodded as he shifted his weight from one leg to another.

"Old man, I've come for your hat!" someone shouted and as the little kid ran past Naruto, he watched as the boy tripped on his own scarf. "Ugh!" Konohamaru shouted as his face smacked against the floor.

"You okay?" Naruto asked and the boy clumsily sat up. Instantly, Naruto knew who the boy was. The Sandaime had shown him pictures of Konohamaru since he was just a baby.

"You! You're the one tripped me!" he shouted and stood up. Before Naruto could answer, the boy's instructor, Ebisu ran into the room.

"Honorable grandson!" the man fawned after the boy and Naruto could see the distaste in his eyes when he turned to him.

" _I don't have time for this idiot_ " Naruto thought as he turned to walk off, only for the Sandaime to stop him.

"We'll finish our discussion another time, okay?" the Sandaime asked with a gentle voice, something that confused Konohamaru. Naruto gave him a quick nod before leaving.

"Grandpa, was that...?" he asked and the Sandaime nodded. Konohamaru's eyes lit up, ready to follow after the boy his grandfather often spoke about.

"He's meeting with his family, Kono-chan" the Sandaime said and the boy stopped. Just like always, the man could read his thoughts. "Maybe next time" he added and Konohamaru pouted.

"I really wanted to meet him" Konohamaru said and the Sandaime chuckled.

"I know my little monkey of a grandson" the Sandaime said as Konohamaru sat on his lap. "Maybe next time" he said, ruffling his hair.

* * *

As soon as he entered the dango store, Ami beamed at him. Her smile was infectious, and before he knew it, he smiled as well. "Congratulations!" she shouted and hugged him. Thankful that it was too early to open the store and there weren't any customers as yet, he hugged her back.

"We got you something" Riku said, taking out a wrapped parcel from behind his back. "Congratulations on passing gaki. We were going to give you it yesterday but you know..." he was saying but trailed off, unwilling to finish the sentence. Ami pulled away and stood beside her Uncle as Naruto took off the hood of his jacket. Riku gently placed the parcel in Naruto's hands.

"Well, open it!" Ami said as Naruto stared at the parcel. "Naruto, what's wrong?" she asked, glancing at her Uncle. The boy was more quiet than usual, and she hated that almost hollow look in his eyes.

"It's nothing" he said, and forced a smile on his face. They clearly didn't buy it, but they didn't ask any more questions so he decided to open the parcel. What he saw made his eyes widen. "Is this?" he whispered, taking up the trench coat in his hands.

"You said you liked the Yondaime, so we thought you would appreciate it" Ami said with clasped hands. "Do you like it?" she asked, watching as he ran his hand on the trench coat. It was black, with red flames licking the bottom of the coat. However unlike the Yondaime's coat, this one had a hood.

"I love it!" he shouted and Riku smirked as Naruto hugged the coat. "I can't believe you two did this!" he added as he unzipped his jacket.

"You deserve it, gaki. You've worked hard, and finally it's starting to pay off" Riku said as Naruto slipped his hands in the sleeves.

"This is crazy" Naruto whispered and then looked at them. "How does it look?" he asked and Ami couldn't help it, she cooed.

"You look so professional!" she shouted and hugged him. He blushed as she pulled away.

"You're embarrassing me, Ami-chan" he said, rubbing behind his neck. Riku laughed and patted his head.

"So, how does it feel?" Riku asked, as Naruto took a routine check of the coat. "The man said that you can store all sort of things in it. Something about seals in the coat itself" he added and Naruto's eyes widened.

"What?" he shouted and he pulled open the coat to take a closer look. "Amazing" he breathed and Ami smirked at her Uncle. "Thank you!" he shouted and hugged them.

"You should be thanking that sensei of yours" Ami said and Naruto pulled away with a surprised look on his face. "She was the one who referred us to the man. Apparently, he's one of her friends" she added and his brain took its time to process what she was saying.

"Anyone in here?!" a loud shout came from the front of the store. When Riku opened the door, they stared at Anko who had an irritated look on her face.

"Anko-san" Riku said and Anko smiled at him. "What brings you here so early in the morning?" he asked.

"I came for the brat" she said, and when her eyes landed on the trench coat, they softened. "If you don't mind" she said with a cough.

"No, go right ahead" Ami said, giving Naruto a push forward. He wanted to frown but he didn't get a chance. Anko took him by the hand, nodded at Ami and Riku, before they disappeared with a shunshin.

* * *

Anko looked at Naruto. She could see the weariness that he treated her with, and unlike before, there wasn't any friendly banter between them. In fact, it was more like when they first met. "In agreement to our deal, I'll teach your first ninjutsu" she said, taking out a scroll from her pocket before throwing the scroll at him. "I was stumped at what to teach you until I got the perfect jutsu for you" she said and he opened the scroll. "I know that you have trouble with normal clones so I thought that you should use another type of bunshin for when you go out in the field" she added and his eyes roved over the scroll.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu" he said and looked at her. "Couldn't you have just given me this instead of having me do that tree climbing exercise?" he asked and she smiled.

"You killed two birds with one stone, gaki. Aren't you glad that you don't have to learn that exercise now that you're a genin? While the others are busy learning that, you can set your sights on more jutsu, so it's a win-win. Besides, the Hokage specifically told me not to teach you this jutsu because it's a kinjutsu, a forbidden technique" Anko said and he looked back at the scroll once more.

"So why are you teaching me it now?" Naruto asked and she shrugged at him.

"First, you're a genin, and as your teacher I can teach you anything I see fit. Secondly, this is my gift to you for passing, don't question it, gaki" Anko said and Naruto just chuckled. "What's so funny?" she asked, though she was relieved that he had returned to his normal self.

"This is totally a bribe" Naruto said and smiled at her. "Thanks anyway" he added and Anko just looked away.

"Are we going to stand here all day or are you going to get started?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips. He studied the scroll and then looked at her.

"How is this different from the normal bunshin that I make?" he asked and she sighed. "What?" he added.

"They're solid clones, like the one you see me using all the time" she said and he just said 'Huh', before she continued. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go ahead. I want you to make two clones for me" Anko said.

"Alright, I'll try" he said, and crossed his fingers in a seal. "Kage bunshin no jutsu" he shouted and, with two puffs of smoke, two copies of himself stood beside him.

"Hey, how's it going?" the one on the left asked with a wave. Naruto's eyes nearly bugged out of their sockets. "What's with the look?" he added, though the question was directed to the clone on the right.

"No idea. Maybe the original's a little loose in the head" the right clone said and the left clone nodded.

"So if he's the original and he's crazy, does that make us crazy as well? I mean we ARE copies of the lunatic" the left clone said.

"Hey, why the hell am I a lunatic?" Naruto asked with an angry scowl. The clones turned to him at the same time.

"Well for one, you're talking to yourself" the left clone said and the right clone laughed at him.

"Good one" the right clone said and they gave each other high fives.

"I know right?" The left clone said, and they shared a chuckle. The urge to punch those bastards in the face were so overwhelming in Naruto.

"Interesting" Anko commented and the clones turned to her. When the left clone's eyes kept roving over her body, she barked "What?!"

"Who's the hot broad?" the left clone asked, with a lecherous smirk on his face. "You're smoking" he added. While Anko laughed, Naruto's mouth dropped. "What do you think?" he asked the right clone, giving him a nudge while he wiggled his eyebrows

"Eh. She's not my cup of tea. I rather a refined, reserved kind of woman if I should say so myself" the right clone said.

"Not your cup of tea? Look at her! She's a fine specimen of a woman! A goddess!" the left clone shouted, and Anko smirked at the humiliated, original Naruto.

"When you choose your women, you don't have to use your libido to do it, you know that, right?" the right clone asked and the left clone just rolled his eyes at him.

"That's pansy talk" the left clone said, and turned to him. "You're telling me that if you see a hot woman sitting next to you, you won't look?" he asked.

"I'll look but that doesn't mean I'll immediately fall head over heels for her. I like to get to know my women first" the right clone said.

"Would you two just stop?! You're...I mean; we're only twelve years old, for Kami's sake!" Naruto, the original shouted at them, as he pointed at the both of them.

"We're boys. That's what we do" they said at the same time. Anko snickered and Naruto glared at the three of them.

"How do I make them stop?" Naruto asked Anko who had an amused look on her face.

"Make us stop? You're not the boss of us!" the left clone shouted and the right clone nodded. "I'll let you know, we have rights" he huffed as he crossed his hands across his chest.

"Uh, no you don't" Naruto said and, shock registering on their faces. "You two are clones" he added with a dead pan expression.

"Blasphemy!" the left clone shouted. "We are people...well, copies of a person, so there!" he shouted.

"Just disperse them" Anko said and the clones paled. "Release the jutsu and they'll disappear" she added and with a sadistic smirk, Naruto did as he was told.

"That was disturbing" Naruto said and she just chuckled. "How will those bastards help me if I'm in danger?" he asked.

"Normally, they don't have personalities" Anko said, and he arched an eyebrow. "That's why I said it was so interesting to see them behave like that" she added, stroking her chin in thought.

"Should I be worried?" Naruto asked and she shook her head. "But still, if you said that it's not normal for them to behave like that..." he was saying when she interrupted him.

"It should be fine, in fact, it can be an advantage. Let them be your comrades, not just your clones" she said and he frowned.

"What kind of suggestion is that?! Did you not hear the way they were talking just now?!" he asked.

"Yes, about that. I didn't know you looked at me like that, Naru-chan" she said and he spluttered. She threw her head back and laughed.

"That's not funny! And I don't see you like that, it was those perverted bastards!" he shouted.

"Calm down, I was just teasing you, gaki" Anko said and he grumbled. "So what do you think? They're easier to make than regular bunshin, right?" she asked, placing her hands on her hips.

"I guess" Naruto said looking down at the scroll. "Thanks, Anko-sensei" he added as he scratched his nose.

"So we good?" she asked, and when he looked up, her eyes averted away from his. "I mean with what happened yesterday and all that" she said.

"I guess" Naruto said, and she looked at him. "I understand why you didn't tell me anything, but it still hurt" he added.

"If you break the rule the Sandaime put in place, it's punishable by death. That's why I didn't tell you, kid" Anko said. "And besides, even though you have that thing in you, it doesn't change the fact that you're my student. My stupid, hot headed, Hokage wanna-be student" she added and he smirked.

"And you're my sensei" Naruto said and when a light blush appeared on her face. "Anko-sensei, are you...blushing?" he asked with a coy smile, which earned him a bop to the head.

"Shut up, gaki!" Anko said and despite the pain, he laughed. "Have respect for your teacher!" she added, and grabbed him in a head lock. As he shouted and struggled in her grasp, she couldn't help the smile on her face. He was right. No matter what, she would always be his teacher just as he would always be her student.

* * *

Author's notes: The Kage bunshin which was referenced could be found as a ninjutsu under the Ninjutsu List and Guide on the NarutoHQ website.

PS: Not even I could resist Naruto in a Yondaime like coat...I'm sorry. Heh, not really.


	30. Chapter 26

Twenty six – Team Seven

Disclaimer: Everyone knows that I don't own Naruto, nor will I ever.

* * *

"Morning" Sakura said, as she walked into the kitchen. Her mother patted her head and her father smiled as she sat down.

"Good morning, sweetie" her mother said, as she kissed her forehead. "Are you excited?" she asked, as she placed plated breakfast in front of her daughter.

"I guess" she mumbled as she gave thanks. Her mother looked at her father who frowned. Recently, Sakura had been more down spirited than she had ever been in the past few years. 'Just when she was doing so well' her mother thought. Realizing that her parents were staring at her, Sakura frowned.

"Honey, I would think you would be more excited than that" her father said, but Sakura just continued eating.

"Your father is right. You should be happy. You and your friends graduated, right?" her mother asked, and Sakura stopped eating. "What's wrong?" she added.

"Nothing's wrong, mom. I'm just tired. I was up studying again last night" Sakura said, rubbing her tired eyes.

"Why would you do such a thing, Sakura? You just graduated and yet you still have your head buried in some book!" her mother said.

"Can we not do this again, mom?" Sakura asked, getting up. "I'm not as strong as the other students, so I have to study. Why can't you understand that?" she added, almost in a whisper. Her daughter looked so resigned, it was scaring her.

"You're THE smartest student in your class, how can you say that you're not strong?!" her mother shouted at her, and Sakura clenched her fists.

"Smart doesn't always equal strong, mom!" Sakura shouted back, on the brink of tears. "Look, just forget it, alright?" she asked before rushing back upstairs. How could her parents understand her feeling of inadequacy? The feeling of worthlessness that she saw within herself, every time she looked in the mirror?! It was that same feeling Sasuke always used to mock her with. Of course she knew that she was smart, but out there, in the shinobi world, it didn't matter. It didn't matter anymore!

"You just had to go there, didn't you?" her father asked her mother who had her mouth set in a tight frown.

"Don't start" her mother hissed before turning back to the stove once more. And that was how Sakura's morning started.

* * *

As Sasuke ate, his eyes were focused on the scroll in front of him. Even before the sun had risen, one Uchiha Sasuke was already up. He had trained, practiced his shuriken throwing, and perfected the only ninjutsu he knew, before he made himself breakfast. As he ate, he was trying to learn another ninjutsu he could use, now that he was a genin. Even though he tried his best, the silence that layered over the Uchiha household, was slowly driving him mad. It wasn't normal, a voice would whisper to him. The silence was almost cutting, with its dreary, haunting undertones. The district had been robbed of all life. It was as though death moved in after the massacre while every thing else vanished. For example, the birds had fled the surrounding trees, never to come back. He placed the scroll down and his eyes looked around the vacant kitchen. Once upon a time, this house had been filled with love. Love of his parents, love of his older...No, Sasuke, he chided himself. 'Don't think about that' he snapped at himself. He got up and threw the remainder of his food in the garbage. He placed his wares in the sink, before looking out the window. The bare trees swayed in the wind and he could hear the noise coming from the wind chimes outside. The voices were back again. The memories were edging their way into his consciousness. " _What is that, Kaa-chan?" the shrill, whiny voice asked. The question was followed by a chuckle filled with only warmth._

 _"It's a wind chime, Sasu-chan" the woman replied, and the voice which he loved to hear, would be dreaded, for years to come. "They're for good luck" she added._ Sasuke had to grasp the sink as his knees nearly gave out. He had managed to stop the memory before it continued, but that still wasn't enough. Nausea flooded his senses and he knew what was coming. "Shit" he whispered before rushing to the bathroom. As always, the memories would make him throw up.

* * *

 _"We need to get out of here!" the high pitched voice shouted as the loud, cracking sounds echoed and trapped them. He was the leader, the one to protect them, but he couldn't. Fear had_ _its hold on him. He couldn't move. "Obito!" the person shouted, and slowly he turned his head just in time to see his friend push him out the way._

 _"No" he whispered and that silly idiot just shot him a smirk. He watched on with horror, as the boulder smashed down on him. " **Obito**!" he screamed. _ Kakashi shot up from the bed, gasping for air. The sheets were stuck to his body, and sweat drenched his body. The fear was back, and it was even more savage than the last time. His hands were shaking and his lips were quivering. "Fuck" he whispered, trying to control his raging heart.

* * *

He was standing in nothing but water AGAIN. "Hello?" he asked, looking down the sewer like hallway. "Is anyone there?!" he shouted, wading through the water that soaked his pajama pants. The splash of the dark water was the only thing that could be heard as he made his way down the hall. He looked around, taking note of the lights on the golden like walls. "Kami, why here again?" he whispered to himself. A rush of wind threw him forward. He had to brace himself on the wall or he would've fallen. Dread coiled in his stomach as he looked at the darkness behind him. Something was following him. He pushed forward, though he kept glancing behind him.

 _"_ _ **Naruto**_ _"_ a voice hissed and he froze. _"_ _ **Naruto, where are you**_ _~"_ the vile voice called after him, as the slosh of water got closer. Naruto didn't wait, he ran like his life depended on it. " _ **You can't hide forever**_ _!"_ the demented voice shouted. Missing a step, Naruto fell to his face, straight into the water. Drenched in the icy, dark water, he pushed himself off the floor with his hands. That was when he saw it. Large golden gates that towered at least fifty feet tall, with the word seal in the middle.

"What is that?" he whispered. The darkness behind those gates was even more ominous than the one behind him. Suddenly two large red eyes cracked open. Naruto jumped as those slit eyes looked down at him. A large hand covered in reddish orange fur shot out and with claws as large as trees, they were ready to slash him down. "No!" he shouted, and that when he was snapped awake. He fell out the bed, coughing. He tensed as he looked at his pajamas. His clothes were wet.

* * *

Hinata scanned the eager faces, as she nervously played with her thumbs. She didn't see Naruto as yet. Did he not pass? She asked herself, and when she glanced down, she saw Shikamaru staring at her. He wore the same worried look on his face, and beside him, Kiba wasn't looking too well either. Chouji had stopped eating his chips and well, with Shino it was difficult to see if he was affected. Were they...she was going to ask herself, when the blonde entered. Everything went silent. Even Sasuke looked at the blonde who walked to the stairs. However unlike before where Naruto met their classmates' stares, he seemed to be mulling over his thoughts. Some started to whisper as they took in the new trench coat and the headband over his right arm. He passed! She screamed in her mind, as he sat down beside her. Before she could say anything, she noticed the black circles under his eyes. "N-Naruto-kun" she softly said, and when he looked her, he almost didn't recognize her. What was going on?

"Oh, hey" he said, and his voice was raspy, like he overused it. "I passed" he added and he smiled at her. She blushed and frantically nodded.

"C-congratulations" she said, and he glanced at her. With that, the people around them slowly went back to their own conversations, but she could still see Kiba, Shikamaru, Chouji and Shino looking at them.

* * *

"Care to tell me why I'm here?" Kakashi asked as he watched the other jounin sensei leave the room. At the Sandaime's grave look, he put away his orange book.

"You're here because I want to speak about Naruto" he said, and if Kakashi wasn't paying attention before, well he was now. "There's something you should know" he added and with that, Anko walked in. He could feel the hostility coming from the woman, but he ignored her. She didn't like Kakashi and quite frankly, he didn't care. "Even though he will be on your team, he has a sensei, separate from you" he added and Kakashi's lone eye widened.

"And if you're wondering, that's me" Anko said, crossing her hands across her chest. Kakashi was glad he was wearing a mask, or his jaw would've dropped.

"Anko became Naruto's sensei when he was struggling with his shinobi training" the Sandaime said, and Kakashi looked at the woman whose features hardened. Oh, now he understood why she seemed even more hostile with him for the past few days.

" _You_ took on a student?" he drawled before turning to the Sandaime. "Do you think that was the right thing to do?" he added.

"I know I'm a better sensei than you will ever be, Hatake" she said and now he was pissed. How dare this...he was saying when she smirked at him.

"Enough you two" the Sandaime said and they turned to him. "Even though you're in charge of team seven, Anko is officially his sensei" he added as he watched for Kakashi's reaction.

"That can't be, Hokage-sama!" Kakashi said, pointing at Anko. "She's not qualified to teach _anyone_ " he added and Anko had to control herself.

"You're one to talk. If you weren't sorry for yourself all the time, maybe then you can be an alright teacher. But until then, you couldn't even teach a grown man the alphabet!" she spat and Kakashi gritted his teeth.

"That's enough!" the Sandaime said, slamming his hand on the table. They stopped glaring at each other before they looked at him. "How can you teach those kids, if you're behaving like imbeciles?" he asked, and they winced at the scolding tone of voice.

"With all due respect, Hokage-sama, Naruto should be MY student" Kakashi said, and Anko scoffed at him.

"Why should he be your student? Because of whom YOUR teacher was?" Anko asked, and the Sandaime sighed. "Get over yourself, Hatake. That boat sailed a long time ago" she harshly added.

"You're so full of it, Anko. Why don't you take a look at yourself before you go around pointing out other people's faults" he said with a deriding snort.

"Oh, do you really want to go there, Hatake? Because WE CAN GO THERE!" she shouted.

"Yeah, I want to go there. All I need is one word" Kakashi said, and she growled at him. "What, snake got your tongue?" he asked with a smirk, though she couldn't see it.

"You motherfu-..." she was saying when a large weight, crashed down on them. All thoughts flew out their heads as the Sandaime calmly looked at them.

"You're both adults, act like it" he said, and they quietened down. "You're not here to have a 'who's better than who' contest. You're here because of Naruto" he added as he got up. "Kakashi, I'm giving you the chance to become a part of my grandson's life, don't mess up and Anko, we spoke about this already. Despite your personal feelings, Naruto WILL become part of team seven. Am I clear?" he said.

"Yes, Hokage-sama" the voices chorused though the looks on their faces said otherwise.

* * *

Naruto wasn't paying attention to Iruka as he gave them a congratulatory speech, and called out the teams. He was patiently waiting for his name, and that was when he saw some sort of hesitance in the man's voice. When Iruka glanced at him, he knew that whatever it was, it wasn't good. He got up, and stared straight at the scarred chunnin. "Team seven: Uzumaki Naruto, Haruno Sakura and Uchiha Sasuke. Your jounin sensei will be Hatake Kakashi" he annotated and the temperature dropped. Naruto slammed his fists on the desk, and they glanced at the blonde.

"He didn't!" he shouted and with a fury that scared some of the students, he stormed down the stairs. "He wouldn't dare!" he screamed before he exited the room. When the door slammed, the students at the front row jumped. Iruka nervously chuckled and looked down at the clipboard in his hands.

"Now, team eight will be..." he was saying when he stopped himself. The students were whispering, so he did what he always did in those situations when the students ignored him. "Will you all shut up?!" he shouted, activating the Big Head Jutsu. He smirked as they stopped. "Works every time" he said to himself, before he continued.

* * *

Author's notets : Not quite the reaction Naruto had in canon, but eh... He's not the same, is he? O.o


	31. Chapter 27

Chapter twenty seven – Incidents and introductions

Disclaimer: T^T I hate having to do this every single time...I hate it! Why must you remind me that I don't own Naruto!

* * *

"Oho, you have an angry camper on your hands, Hokage-sama" Anko said. They could all feel the rage from the blonde as he stalked his way to the Hokage's office. Kakashi looked at the door, and he couldn't help but think that the boy was like his mother in more ways than none.

"You all need to leave. Naruto and I have to speak alone" the Sandaime said, and Anko hesitated. "Anko, please. I know Naruto and when he's angry, no one is safe" he added and Anko sighed.

"Fine, I'll leave you to it" Anko said, and with a glare at Kakashi, she disappeared before her student could see her.

"That means you too, Kakashi" the Sandaime said, and Kakashi frowned under his mask. "Kakashi, I know you want to see him, but now is not the time. Team introductions are in awhile, so you'll have to wait" he added and Kakashi finally relented. With a shunshin Kakashi left. Just in time too, because the door flung open.

* * *

"You can't go in there!" his secretary shouted, but Naruto ignored her as he stomped inside. His anger was his mother's, but the furious scowl on his face was all his father.

"Its okay" the Sandaime said and he nodded at her frantic face. "He's allowed" he added and for the first time, she let the blonde in without so much as a glare. She wasn't that stupid to provoke the blonde, not with that temper of his. When the door closed, Naruto folded his arms. "Well did you come here to glare at me or are you going to say something?" he asked.

"You put me on the same team as that teme and Hatake Kakashi?" he asked, and the Sandaime nearly arched an eyebrow. Naruto hadn't blown up as yet, but he knew it was coming.

"Yes, I did" the Sandaime said, and he became aware of the blonde's eyes that were slowly turning to slits. Wait, slits? It couldn't be...he thought, panic rising in his chest.

"Why?" Naruto hissed, as the anger swirled around his stomach before travelling around his body.

"First, I need you to calm down, Naruto" he said, getting up. Naruto followed his every movement.

"Calm down?!" the blonde shouted, and he could see the faintish red chakra bubbling at the sole of his feet. Shit, he thought. "You're setting me up to fail!" he screamed and he knew his Anbu were on guard outside the door.

"Naruto, listen to me..." the Sandaime said, but Naruto wasn't listening. The blonde was drunk with hate and anger.

"First the Kyuubi thing and now this!" he shouted and with that, the chakra slowly stretched to his legs, intending on covering his entire body. In an instant, he rushed to Naruto and wrapped his hands around the boy. The malicious chakra from the Kyuubi burnt through his clothes and stung his skin but he stood his ground. A violent force broke the windows in a million pieces, the paper work was knocked off his desk and his desk was smashed against the wall.

"This isn't you, Naruto. You have to get a grip on yourself" the Sandaime whispered, and through the haziness, Naruto barely registered his words. However, he could see the chakra stop at his midsection. It slowly receded, and the Sandaime's hands fell from the boy's prone form. Using his own chakra, he told the Anbu to stay put, as Naruto dropped to his knees, panting for dear life. Something was wrong. The seal should've been strong enough to keep the Kyuubi's malevolent chakra at bay, he thought. Some documents fell down between them, as Naruto looked up at his charred clothes, he could see the terror in his eyes.

"Jiji" he whispered and he had to hold onto the shaking boy again.

* * *

Sakura glanced at Sasuke who had his hands clasped in front of him. She couldn't believe her luck. Her crush...Sasuke-kun was on the same team as she was! She was so happy, that she felt like she was walking on cloud nine. However, there was something else or rather someone was on her mind. That someone was Naruto. Since the blonde stormed out of the class, he hadn't returned as yet. Did he hate her so much that he didn't want to be on her team? **"You were horrible to him, what do you expect! But why do you care?! We're on the same team as Sasuke-kun! That's all that matters! Shannaro!"** Inner Sakura shouted at her.

" _How can you say that? Naruto was the only one that spoke to us, do you remember that? He was the one that made us feel wanted when even Sasuke-kun ignored us! He was our friend!"_ Sakura shouted back at her. Inner Sakura grew silent, and Sakura looked out the window. _"I've been thinking about everything that happened, about how we treated him, and I can't even explain how crappy I feel. We...I am a horrible person. I turned my back on the people who mattered and now, no one wants to be our friend"_ she said, and Inner Sakura still didn't say anything. It was true. She had been thinking about it for awhile. In fact, after the sparring session, she couldn't get Naruto's hurt face out of her mind. She had lied to her mother when she said that she was up studying again. She was so wrought with guilt and sadness, that she couldn't close her eyes without hearing Naruto's words. _"_ _Because no matter what, you would always choose Sasuke, right?"_ It wasn't like she wanted to be this way. It was just, whenever it came to Sasuke, he made her feel things, do things that she wouldn't do in the first place. It was the stupid, crazy love that controlled whatever she did. It made her feel like she had to protect the boy who had her heart in his hands. She wanted to be the one he leaned on, to be her everything like he was hers. He made her feel so much more than Haruno Sakura, and even though everyone else couldn't understand, she did. It was love that created her into the monster she was. **"It's not love that made the decision to abandon Naruto and Ino. It was you. You did all those things, Sakura and until you take responsibility for your actions, you'll never change" Inner Sakura whispered.** She knew that, but it was hard. It was _so hard_. She wanted to change, wanted it so bad. She wanted friends again, someone to speak to, to have sleepovers at their house, to paint their nails, to gossip, someone to be there when she needed a shoulder to cry on, a friend to call her own. She hated the loneliness. Whenever she was alone, the hate that she felt towards herself, intensified. She gripped onto her dress and sucked in the tears. She wanted Ino and Naruto back. She missed them, missed the times they shared together. She wanted her friends back but they felt so far away. She was so lost within herself, that she almost didn't notice when the door slid open. When Kakashi entered the classroom, he noticed that only two of his students were present. The pink haired girl looked up and the Uchiha raised his eyebrow. "Meet me on the roof" he said and left before he could take a second glance in their direction.

* * *

"Are you okay?" the Sandaime asked, as Naruto stopped shaking. He nodded, and slowly stood up.

"What happened to me?" he whispered as he looked around the damage he had created. "It was like I wasn't in control of my body anymore" he added, and the Sandaime took off his hat.

"That was the Kyuubi's chakra" the Sandaime said and his eyes widened. "The seal on your stomach, the one that trapped the Kyuubi, has been protecting you from its chakra from the day you were born. However, as time passes, the seal constantly weakens and I'm guessing, that it used the hatred you felt for me, to break through the seal" he added and Naruto stared at his feet. That was when he felt two hands on his shoulders. "This is not your fault, Naruto. The Kyuubi is originally a being of hate and it will use any means possible to escape the seal" he said, looking at Naruto.

"Will this continue to happen from now on?" Naruto asked and the Sandaime reluctantly nodded.

"Yes. That's why I'll have to introduce you to some meditation exercises. From now, you have to control your anger" the Sandaime said.

"This is just too much" Naruto whispered, and the Sandaime pulled him in a hug. "I don't think I can do this" he added.

"Yes you can. You overcame all the burdens in your life before, this is no different" the Sandaime said and Naruto pulled away.

"This is different! This monster inside of me is threatening to escape every time I get angry! What if this happens and I hurt Ami-chan or the old man?" Naruto softly said, and the Sandaime ruffled his hair.

"Love is much stronger than hate. You can beat this, you can beat the Kyuubi" the Sandaime said, and all the resentment he felt the aged leader, disappeared the moment he rushed to his side a few moments ago. "I believe in you" he added and Naruto found himself nodding.

"I'll try" Naruto said and the Sandaime smiled. "Now, about Hatake Kakashi..." he said and the smile slipped off the Sandaime's face at Naruto's narrowed eyes.

* * *

"Sorry, I'm late" Naruto said as he approached them. Hatake Kakashi, he presumed was lazily leaning against the railing, with his orange book in his hand. The man had gravity defying grey hair, no wait, was it silver? He shook his head as he sat down, far away from his so-called team mates. The man arched an eyebrow, at the action, and Naruto took note of the mask he wore. He wasn't happy with the arrangement, but he had reached an understanding with the Sandaime.

"And should I ask where you were?" Kakashi asked, using that time to study the blonde in front of him. From the moment he saw the trench coat, he felt queasy. With the hood up, he couldn't make out the boy's face, but the way he carried himself, reminded him of his old sensei too much.

"I was with the Hokage" Naruto said, noticing that Sakura was openly staring at him. Sasuke, who sat beside her, pretended that he didn't care, but he could see the tell tale twitch of his eye.

"Alright. Now, let's start the introductions. Since you're late, you should start" Kakashi said, his book long forgotten. He had heard about the changes in the blonde, so he wanted to hear more about his sensei's son.

"Ano, sensei what do you mean?" Sakura asked, and the silver haired man turned to her. "How should we introduce ourselves? Don't you think you should demonstrate so we could get an example?" she added and he was impressed. The girl had used that as an excuse to get information from him. Good girl, he thought.

"Well, let's see. When I mean introduce yourself, I mean tell me your name, your likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams, you know, things like that. Okay, I'll go first. My name is Hatake Kakashi, what I like is none of your business, if I were to list my dislikes, we would be here whole day and my hobbies...well, let's not go into that, ne? That's for when you're older and as for my dream, I don't have one" he said, with a cheeky tone. Naruto scoffed and he smirked. "You're next" he told him.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like nothing, hate this team, I have no hobbies and my dream is to get off of this team" he said, and Kakashi was officially surprised. Since when did his sensei's son behave so bitter and why the hell was it directed at him? Did Anko corrupt the blonde?

"Okay, you're next" he said to Sakura, who was too busy staring at Naruto with wide eyes and an open mouth. "We don't have whole day" he drawled and the girl finally looked at him.

"My name is Haruno Sakura. I like...I dislike...I have a few hobbies...and I have one dream but I don't want to state what it is" she said, and Kakashi straightened up. What the hell was happening here? Wasn't she an Uchiha fan girl like the Academy's report had stated? However since she and the Uchiha had walked on the roof, he noticed that she walked a little distance away from the boy. He had also noticed that she seemed nervous, and on edge. Wait...he thought and he nearly chuckled. Noticing that they didn't reveal any sort of information on themselves, and following the trend, she did the same. Smart girl, he mused.

"What the hell are you waiting for?" Kakashi asked Sasuke who was slightly miffed at his tone. "You're the only one left. I don't think it would take a genius to realize that the logical thing would be for you to introduce yourself to us" he added and Sasuke clenched his fists. Naruto smirked and Sakura looked at her own lap. Usually she would've backed up her crush, but she was not going to embarrass herself just for his sake, not this time. Besides, she could feel the strength coming from the man in front of her. She was not going to piss the man off. He was a jounin and he was her teacher now. She would respect him; therefore, she bit her tongue in silence.

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke" the boy started off with a frigid tone. "I have few likes, a lot of dislikes, no hobbies and my dream, rather my goal is to kill a certain man" he said, with his clasped hands. He could feel the weak attempt at killing intent coming from the boy. Just like he thought, the boy was going after Itachi.

"Now that we sort of know each other, I should inform you about THE test" he said and Naruto tensed.

* * *

The next day

"Like I wouldn't eat" Naruto snorted as he wolfed down his breakfast. He looked at the scrolls on his table, courtesy of the Sandaime. One was with a meditation exercise he already hated, and the second one was a ninjutsu he had managed to get from the man. It was a bribe, but he didn't care. Since his meeting with his 'so-called' team, he went to his special training grounds and he had stayed until he perfected the jutsu. He would add it to his arsenal that he planned to use for the test. When he was finished, he looked at the clock. "Time to get going" he said, taking up his trench coat. When he looked out the window, he stopped and saw Tori flying towards his apartment. "Finally, he replied" he whispered, and when he opened the window, Tori chirped happily at him. "Hey, Tori-san" he said, and the mechanical bird dropped a scroll in his hands. With a friendly peck, the bird returned to the seal. He would finally get the answers he wanted.

* * *

Author's notes: Hello everyone! So by now, you're seeing the changes that I've made to Team seven, most specifically Sakura. I've decided, since the side story some chapters ago, that I would shape Sakura and mold her into a capable shinobi, just as I am doing with Naruto. So look out for not only a badass Naruto but a kick ass Sakura.

To PredatorPuck: Can I just say that I adore your name? Heh. Anyway, it was because of your nice reviews that I decided to update this story faster than I intended. Thank for leaving me such nice words, especially about the comment about the fight scene and liking the new Naruto. And you're right about the scene with Naruto in canon after learning about the Kyuubi. But I think that because Naruto the anime and manga is a shounen, I don't think Kishimoto would delve too deep on emotions and stuff (though he touches on the subject with the way Naruto was always crying throughout shippuden lol). As for the shadowy voices, huh. I like the way you think or is it just that I'm really obvious? O.O I don't know...


	32. Chapter 28

Chapter twenty-eight – The survival test

Disclaimer:/ You know it

* * *

Sakura checked her kunai, her shuriken, the few storage seals she had, along with the other gear she would need. Whatever her new sensei had in mind, she knew she had to ace it. She packed her things away, and that was when she saw her father in the doorway. "There's my little girl" he said, and she smiled. He ruffled her hair and laughed when she whined.

"You're messing up my hair! Dad! " she complained but he just kissed her forehead. He smoothed down her hair and she smiled.

"Today's the big day, huh?" he asked as they walked downstairs together. She had already eaten breakfast, despite her sensei's warning. Eating breakfast was one of the most important directives of the shinobi handbook and besides, she would need a full stomach to go against the man. He was jounin, for Kami's sake! She was not that stupid to believe that she had even a small chance at defeating whatever test he was going to administer, without going all out. As they moved downstairs, she noticed her mother's lack of presence. She knew her parents had another fight and just like always, her mother would leave early in the morning to go to the market. It was her parent's routine after fighting with each other. Her father would sleep on the couch and her mother would leave before everyone else got up.

"Yeah, today's the test" she said as he walked her out. "So, aren't you going to wish me good luck?" she asked and he chuckled.

"Good luck, my little cherry blossom" he said and her eyes softened. "Go out there and knock 'em dead" he added and with a nod, he watched her walk off.

* * *

Sasuke adjusted his kunai pouch before straightening up. He made sure he had all his gear and glanced at his unfinished breakfast. "Don't eat breakfast" he said in a mocking tone of voice and a roll of his eyes. He threw away the last of his food before washing up the few dishes in the sink. He wiped his hands on the washcloth before throwing it on the sink. He studied the little bottle on the table, and he sighed. Taking two pills, he gulped them down with some water. He placed the glass in the sink and took slow breaths. He had to pass. He had to become stronger, in order to kill _**that man.**_ The man that had took _**everything**_ from him. At the thought, he gritted his teeth. He wouldn't think about _**him**_. No, he had a test to pass.

* * *

Naruto looked at the scroll in his hand, and deciding to wait until later, he tucked it in his trench coat. He walked out the apartment, and as he made his way to the place Hatake told them to meet up, he saw Sakura as well as Sasuke already there. Sakura looked up while Sasuke chose to ignore him. "Teme" he thought but kept it to himself.

"Morning" Sakura said, surprising him. Naruto didn't offer any words in reply, though he nodded at her. He sat down, far away from them and he could see the flash of hurt in her eyes. However, he ignored it. He had to, because that wasn't the time to sift through things between them. Some minutes ticked by, and he was taken aback by the silence that existed between the three of them. Normally Sakura would try but fail to strike up a conversation with the Uchiha. However, Sakura sat, quiet as can be, lost in her thoughts. He looked at the Uchiha who was thinking as well. "What do you think the test is about?" she asked, and Naruto looked up. Sasuke glanced at her, and he scowled.

"I don't know" Sasuke said and they were surprised at the civil tone. He grunted at Sakura's surprised face before looking away.

"Naruto?" she asked, turning to him. She couldn't see his face under his hood, but she felt his eyes on her.

"He'll tell us when he comes" Naruto said, shoving his hands in his pockets. Sakura wanted to frown but just turned back around. "What do you think it is?" he asked.

"Well, since we're outside, it's safe to assume that it's not written" she said and Sasuke snorted. Naruto smirked and she had a little pleased look on her face. "Maybe he's going to test our skills, or something of the sorts. That's what I came up with so far" she added.

"That's actually smart" Sasuke said, and Sakura blushed. Naruto rolled his eyes at them. Sakura took it as a compliment, while Naruto heard it for what it was. An insult.

"Surprised that you didn't think about it, yourself?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke glared at him.

"I know that you couldn't, dobe" Sasuke said and Naruto moved to stand up, but his talk with the Sandaime stopped him. He had to control himself. "How did you even manage to pass the genin exam?" he snidely asked.

"With hard work but you wouldn't know anything about that, would you, Almighty Uchiha?" he asked and chuckled as Sasuke's face darkened. "You've always gotten what you wanted the easy way" he added and Sasuke stood up.

"What did you say?" he asked, and Naruto folded his hands behind his head. "You have some gall, dobe. Did you not learn your lesson the last time? I can kick your ass without even trying" he added with a smirk.

"You can try teme" Naruto said and laughed. Sasuke clenched his fists, ready to punch the blonde, when a hand landed on his chest. They froze at the sight of Sakura, in front of him.

"Would you two stop it?!" she shouted and Sasuke blinked, a little confused. Wasn't this the same girl that was backing him up and even stalking him some weeks ago? "We have much more important things to think about right now! Like passing the test! Do you two really want to go back to the Academy another year?" she asked, looking from Sasuke to Naruto. Their anger frizzled and died at her words. "Let's just calm down" she added and sat back down. Sasuke shot one last glare at Naruto before following her example. Meanwhile, Sakura wanted to smile at herself. In a really long time, she had finally done something right.

* * *

Kakashi looked at the three children as he hid in the trees. He had witnessed the confrontation between them, and if he was confused before, well now he was lost. Where was the Uchiha fan girl? Where was the hot blooded blonde? Where was the snarky, revenge obsessed Uchiha? What the hell was going on? He scratched his head and sighed. They weren't even his students as yet and they were already giving him a headache. Deciding that he made them wait long enough, he appeared in front of them. He clasped his gloved hands together and shot them an eye smile. They were not amused. "Good morning" he chirped, and they just glared at him. "You all are so charming in the morning" he added with a chuckle.

"Just get on with it, will you?" Naruto asked, and Kakashi just eye smiled at him again. "And would you stop that? It's creepy" he added and Sakura nodded. Kakashi sighed. These brats would be the death of him.

"Okay, now that we're all here. I'll explain the test" he said and they were all ears now. "It's a survival test" he said, taking out two bells. "You must attempt to get one of these. The one who doesn't get one, will not be eating lunch" he added.

"That's why you said not to eat breakfast" Sakura said and he nodded. "Well, sorry to tell you this sensei, but I ate this morning" she added with a proud smile.

"Me too" Sasuke said and Kakashi felt like he wanted to strangle the brats where they stood. Hopeful that Naruto didn't, he turned to the blonde.

"I did as well" Naruto said and he hung his head. Of course he did, Kakashi sulkily thought.

"You three are such spoil sports" Kakashi said, and looked at them. "I'll set an alarm, and if you don't get a bell by the time is up, you'll fail. It's that simple" he added and he moved to one of the tree stumps. "Now, there's something I must tell you all we before start" he said, winding it up. "If you want to get a bell, you'll have to come at me with the intent to kill" he added, as he placed the clock down. Sakura paled, Sasuke got this determined look in his eyes and well, he wasn't so sure about Naruto.

"But sensei, _we'll_ get hurt" Sakura said and Kakashi chuckled. She paled even more. Yep, he's going to kill us, she concluded.

"Don't worry about that and let's start" he said, and with that, the clock ticked away. They each hid, and he smirked under his mask. "Smart kids" he said aloud. "Now what should I do?" he asked, tapping his finger on his chin. "I know!" he chirped and took out his beloved orange book.

* * *

Using his chakra laced feet; he climbed up one of the trees, and crouched down. He had chosen a tree, where he could have an ample view of the training grounds and the man. He had to study this strange Hatake Kakashi if he were to get a bell. He watched as the man took out an orange book and he face palmed himself. "The porn" he thought and nearly chuckled as he remembered Tenten's outrage. Everything about the man screamed lazy, but he knew that was not the case. For one, he was jounin, and two, from what Tenten and Lee said he had to be a hard ass, if he failed all those students. In addition, he could feel the strength that hovered at the surface whenever the man moved. He knew Sakura and Sasuke sensed it too. He slid a kunai out of his pouch, and he knew he had to come up with a plan. He would need help, but he would rather eat dirt than ask Sasuke for help. Then there was Sakura. Would she team up with him? Then a thought entered his mind. He crossed his fingers and whispered "Kage bunshin no jutsu". With two puffs of smoke, two identical copies of himself stood beside him.

"Oh, it's you again" the one, he presumed as the left clone said. "So now you need our help" he added.

"Yes, so would you lower your voice?" Naruto hissed and with a roll of his eyes, they stooped down beside him. "You two know what's going on already. We need a plan" he added.

"What about a sneak attack?" the right clone asked and Naruto stroked his chin in thought. "Surprising him might give you the opportunity you need to obtain one of those bells" he added.

"Idiot, how do you plan to surprise a jounin?" the left clone asked. "He's a jounin for a reason" he added.

"We have to find a weakness, and exploit it" Naruto said and they turned to him. "We have Anko-sensei to thank for that" he added and they smirked.

* * *

Hiding under one of the bushes that surrounded the training grounds, Sasuke's entire body was tense. He watched as his supposed jounin sensei leaned up against one of the stumps, before opening his strange orange book. The man didn't even think they were worthy enough to be deemed a threat! Well, maybe they weren't, but damn it! Uchiha Sasuke would show him why he was called a prodigy! He shot out from the bush, and with a kunai in hand, he was intent on engaging the jounin in a fight.

* * *

Sakura slowly trekked through the forest, her eyes roving everywhere. She could hear the faint sounds of fighting, and her heart sped up. This was it. The test had started. That was when she stopped. A brutally damaged Sasuke walked out in front of her, with shuriken embedded all over his body. "Sakura" he gasped and her eyes rolled back in her head. She couldn't even scream because she had already fainted.

* * *

Naruto dashed through the trees, when he came across a fallen Sakura. "Shit" he whispered and dropped down. He gently placed her against one of the trees, and looked at his clones.

"She didn't even last a good ten minutes" the left clone said and they shook their heads at the girl.

"We could use this" the right clone said, and they looked at him. "It's probable that Hatake Kakashi did this, so he knows that she's incapacitated. However, if we use this to our advantage, it might just give us enough time to gain the upper hand on him. Despite what he said, his first priority is your safety" he added and the left clone grinned.

"That's good thinking man but..." the left clone said but paused. "...how do you plan to use this to our advantage?" the left clone asked while Naruto stood up.

"I just might have an idea" Naruto said, and huddled them into a circle. "Here's the plan..." he conspired with his shadow clones.

* * *

Preview of the next chapter:

"I have to admit, you are different from the other two but you're still not good enough" Kakashi said, looking at Sasuke who was stuck in the earth, with only his head poking out of the ground. He was going to lecture the boy, when he heard some leaves rustling. It had to be Naruto. He was amazed that the blonde wasn't the first one to attack him; rather it was Sasuke who had. He turned around, and his lone eye widened. Naruto was holding onto Sakura who was bleeding everywhere. What the hell?

"Sensei, Sakura's been hurt!" he shouted and Kakashi could only stare at the almost broken girl.

* * *

Author's notes: I know that in canon, Kakashi explained what kind of test it was, right after the introductions, but I didn't go with that. As with everything else, I decided to change it around a bit.

Ps: I loved writing Kakashi-sensei in this chapter. He's too cute ^.^


	33. Chapter 29

Chapter twenty nine – Conclusion of the bell test

Disclaimer: I dOn'T oWn NaRuTo

Previously

" _I have to admit, you are different from the other two but you're still not good enough" Kakashi said, looking at Sasuke who was stuck in the earth, with only his head poking out of the ground. He was going to lecture the boy, when he heard some leaves rustling. It had to be Naruto. He was amazed that the blonde wasn't the first one to attack him; rather it was Sasuke who had. He turned around, and his lone eye widened. Naruto was holding onto Sakura who was bleeding everywhere. What the hell?_

 _"Sensei, Sakura's been hurt!" he shouted and Kakashi could only stare at the almost broken girl._

* * *

A few moments ago

"Alright, this is the plan" the original Naruto said, drawing them into a circle. "One of you will henge into Sakura and make it look like you were attacked. Make it look as bloody and as gory as you can. Now, who's going to turn into Sakura?" he said.

"I'll do it!" the left clone said, raising his hand. Naruto rolled his eyes and he asked "What?"

"Keep down your voice, baka" the right clone hissed under his breath and the left clone pouted. "His clone is probably out there, looking for us" he added, and original Naruto nodded.

"Since the left clone will be in the henge, you the right clone will have to stand on guard. We have to keep an eye out for Sakura, make sure that she doesn't wake up before time and mess up the plan" original Naruto said.

"Why the hell am I right clone? I want a proper name" right clone said and Naruto rubbed his temples. What the hell was wrong with these clones? He asked himself.

"Fine, what about Kaze?" he asked, and the right clone looked impressed. He turned to the scowling left clone. "Let me guess, you want a name as well" he added.

"Damn right I do" the left clone said. "I want something cool" he added and Naruto had to sigh.

"I can't believe I'm doing this" Naruto whispered to himself. "Alright, what about, Umi?" he asked, and he smirked.

"It's good" Umi said and Naruto nodded. "Alright, now that we have kick ass names and a plan, let's go!" he added and stood up.

"Umi-baka, you need to henge first" Kaze said, with folding his hands across his chest. Umi slapped his forehead and shot them a sheepish look. He crossed his fingers in a seal, and with a puff of smoke, he flipped his now, pink hair over his shoulder.

"How do I look?" he asked, with his normal voice.

"Ugh, that's so wrong" Naruto said and Kaze chuckled. "You forgot to disguise your voice" he added, looking away. He giggled and Naruto felt like he wanted to puke. "Just hurry up" he barked and Umi laughed.

* * *

Naruto nearly smirked as he held onto a henged Umi. "She was attacked" he said, watching the emotions that ran through the man's one eye. He glanced at Sasuke who seemed actually concerned for Sakura. He had Kaze looking after Sakura and for Kakashi's other clone.

"What do you mean she was attacked?" Kakashi asked, clearly confused and worried at the same time.

"By one of your traps" he said as he approached. "When she got up, she accidentally stepped into one of them" he added. In his mind, he prayed to Kami that the man would buy the excuse. They just needed to get close enough to snatch one of the bells.

"Shit, come here let me see" Kakashi said, reaching out his hand to the clone. Sweat rolled down his back, and his heart thumped in his ears. Just when they were a breath away, he saw when the man's outstretched hand clenched shut and as his eye narrowed.

* * *

A few seconds ago

Kaze had relocated the unconscious Sakura onto one of the branches of a nearby tree, and he stood on guard. With his kunai in hand, he looked around, when he finally sensed it. He didn't know how or why, but he felt something like a fine line of chakra dashing through the forest, towards them. He knew that Kakashi's clone had suppressed its chakra, which was why it felt like a thin piece of wire. Kaze held his breath and kneeled near Sakura. Kakashi's clone was getting close, and he didn't have any idea what to do. The only reason their plan had any possibility of being successful was because they had the element of surprise on their side. Kaze couldn't let the man's clone see him or he would realize what was going on. **But it was too late**. Kakashi's clone was standing on the tree opposite from them. The clone's eye widened at the sight, and Kaze frowned. "Kage bunshin" the man's clone whispered and he watched as the clone punched himself out.

"Fuck!" Kaze hissed and then looked at training ground where they all stood. "I have to warn him before its too late" he added before he stabbed himself with the kunai.

* * *

He could see the way Kakashi tensed as Kaze's memories rushed to him. It was actually a decent plan, Kakashi thought as the Sakura clone smirked.

"It was good while it lasted, man" Umi said, and then glanced at Naruto. No one dared to move. "We'll have to take the bell the old fashioned way" he added and Kakashi chuckled.

"Do you think you can take me?" Kakashi asked, releasing some killing intent for added measure. However, he was surprised that the henged clone and Naruto withstood it, while Sasuke trembled.

"One of the lessons, SHE taught me" he said, and with a puff, Umi was back to his usual self. The fear that Sasuke experienced, disappeared at the sight of Umi.

"That was a pretty good idea. You used the fact that I would be concerned about Sakura's safety to your own advantage. That's good deceptive skills you've got there, Naruto" Kakashi said, closing his book. The lazy façade he had going on, dissipated into thin air. He cracked his knuckles and then looked at him. "And your use of Kage bunshin, I'm more than shocked" he added.

"Deception is one of the tools we shinobi use, Hatake Kakashi" Naruto said, his hand going to the kunai pouch on his leg. "I knew that if I couldn't team up with my so-called team mates, then I would have to go for the next best thing. Who's the one person I can trust with my life in this situation? Myself, that's who" he added and Umi grinned.

"That's very clever" Kakashi said, taking one step forward. "I have to say, you're as unpredictable as they say you are" he added.

"You learn to adapt, given the circumstances" Naruto said, and Kakashi almost smirked. He glanced at Umi who got the message. Umi threw the smoke bomb on the ground, and with a whisper of "Come and find me", they were gone.

* * *

With a grin, he watched as the smoke settled with no sign of the boy whatsoever. "Clever little brat" he said, with mirth dancing in his one eye. Sasuke was shouting at him but he ignored the Uchiha. He crossed his fingers in a seal and with a murmur; three copies of himself appeared, much to the shock of Sasuke. "Hunt them down" he ordered and they blurred away.

"Kage bunshin no jutsu!" Naruto shouted as they darted through the trees. With a puff, two more clones appeared. Umi blinked at them, and the one who was most certainly Kaze smirked. The other clone was clearly confused as he looked around. Naruto could feel Kakashi approaching, and he swore under his breath. "Spilt up, he won't know who is who!" he shouted and with three nods, they took separate paths.

* * *

With Kaze

As he was running, he heard the faint sound of a hiss. Before he could jump away, he turned back to see the wind dragon as it shredded the tree to pieces. "Shit" he hissed as his lungs squeezed in protest at the grueling pace he was forced to take. If he continued like that, he would dispel before he could even be of any help to Naruto. He took out one of the kunai from his pouch and threw it at the man. The kunai multiplied into twenty and Kakashi's clone easily dodged them without breaking a single sweat. Kakashi's clone smirked as they flew over his head. However the smirk slipped off his face, as he heard the tell-tale sound of an explosive seal. He rolled out of the way, just in time, because a large explosion engulfed the tree he was standing on. Kaze knew he had to stop and fight. He held onto his kunai and gulped. "Now or never" he whispered to himself.

Unnamed clone

The explosion in the distance reverberated throughout the forest, and he quickly wondered if his fellow clone had managed to win or if he failed. He didn't have time to think about it and continued forward. A chuckle brought him out of his revere and when he looked in front of him; his face was met with a brutal punch. "Damn it" he whispered before he dispelled in a puff of smoke. Kakashi's clone smirked before leaving.

With Umi

He had to gamble with fate. He dropped down on the forest floor, and took his offensive taijutsu stance. "Oho, so you're going on the offensive" Kakashi's clone said appearing before him. Neither of the clones moved as they stared down each other. They were waiting for each other to move. A gentle breeze blew and rustled the leaves of the branches above them. Their eyes looked up to the floating leaf that slowly descended to the space between them. When the leaf fell to the ground, it was the signal they needed. They each pushed themselves off the ground and with that, the battle had begun.

With Naruto

Naruto stopped running when the memories of the unnamed clone rushed back into his head. He slammed his fist on the trunk of the tree. "Damn it" he whispered when he heard rustling. He whipped out his kunai and pressed it against the person's neck.

"Naruto!" someone shouted and when the adrenaline finally left his body, he saw that it was Sakura, looking at him with panicked eyes.

"Shit, sorry" he said, removing the kunai from under her neck. "What the hell are you doing here?" he asked, looking around.

"I don't know. I woke up here" she said and she looked at the tension that laced his body. "The test" she whispered and he nodded.

"He's out to get me" Naruto said, and listened for the man. He knew he was close. "You have to get out of here, Sakura. It's not safe" he added, ready to leave, when she grabbed his hand.

"I can help" she said with determined eyes. He skeptically looked at her, and she added "I want to help" she added.

"Fine" he said and she smirked. "Let me tell you what happened so far" he added.

* * *

The more Sasuke struggled, the more irritated he got. He had touched the bells! He was so close, yet so far. He stopped fidgeting, and looked at the spot where the man once stood. Hatake Kakashi had beaten him like he was nothing. Sasuke had even pulled out his Katon jutsu, and the man just shot another one at him, twice as strong as Sasuke's. Then, there was the dobe. At first he was actually worried about Sakura, when the blonde idiot walked out the forest with her. The blood had almost made him throw up, and he was glad that no one noticed. Then, when it was revealed as a ploy for the dobe's plan, Sasuke had gotten so livid, that he couldn't see straight. The dobe came up with an actual plan, while Sasuke allowed his rage to control him. And to add to the blow, he had a jutsu that surprised even their jounin sensei. A clone of some sorts, more solid that the original bunshin. "Damn it!" he shouted, cursing everything, especially Hatake Kakashi and Uzumaki Naruto.

* * *

Sakura perked up and Naruto frowned. "That was Sasuke-kun" she whispered and Naruto snapped his fingers at her.

"We have to focus, Sakura" Naruto said and she nodded. "Shit, he's here" he whispered and grabbed Sakura, just in time, as Kakashi's fist drove into the tree. Sakura resisted the urge to scream as they landed on the ground.

"Is that the real Sakura or another Kage bunshin?" Kakashi asked, looking at them from the branch of tree. Sakura paled at the size of the hole in the tree, courtesy of the silver haired jounin.

"She's the real deal" Naruto said, glancing at Sakura who caught onto his message. They took out their kunai and took their stances.

"So you two are working together?" he asked with a quirked eyebrow. "That's rather interesting" he added with a chuckle. "But you're forgetting something. Your other team mate is rather vulnerable, don't you think?" he asked and Sakura's eyes widened.

"Sasuke-kun" she whispered and Naruto gripped on his kunai. The man was using Naruto's tactic against him.

"Sakura, get to Sasuke now" Naruto commanded, and the two stared at the blonde with stunned faces, though Kakashi's was hidden behind his mask. "Go now, Sakura!" he shouted.

"No, I won't abandon you again!" she shouted, as she squeezed her eyes shut. Naruto looked at the tears running down her flushed face and among one of the emotions he felt for her, it was pity. When she opened her eyes, with trembling lips, she said "I will fight with you"

"That's really brave of you, Sakura" Kakashi said and her eyes widened. The man was directly behind her. "But what use are you in a real fight?" he whispered and Naruto could only watch his fist as it slowly descended on her...However, Naruto smirked.

"Substitution" Kakashi whispered, staring at the destroyed log in front of him. Sakura stood beside Naruto, with watery eyes.

"I promised myself that I would change and the new Sakura looks after her team mates. She protects her friends" she said turning to Naruto.

"Strong words but let's see your conviction" Kakashi said and with that, he summoned one of his previous Kage bunshin. "Kill Sasuke" he whispered to the clone and they tensed as the clone disappeared. "So, what will it be, my students?" he asked with a sadistic voice. Naruto looked at Sakura and made his decision.

"Get to Sasuke, Sakura" he said and when she was going to refuse, he placed his hand on her shoulder. "You won't be abandoning me, not this time" he said and she sniffed. "Do this as my friend" he added and she gave his hand a little squeeze. "Now go" he whispered and with a reluctant nod, she started off.

"Be careful, Naruto!" she shouted and ran towards Sasuke with all the strength she had.

* * *

Kakashi stared at Naruto. The blonde seemed to be waiting for him. "It's just you and me. Your clones were wiped out already" he said. "So are you going to fight me or do you have another trick up your sleeve?" he asked.

"If you should know, I have one jutsu that I plan to use against you" Naruto said and Kakashi quirked his eyebrow.

"Was that really wise to send Sakura after Sasuke?" he asked but Naruto didn't answer so he continued. "You know, you're different from what the reports say. You're a decent shinobi from what I've seen" Kakashi said.

"Is that a compliment?" he asked and Kakashi shrugged. "I've heard about you too. From Tenten and Lee, the students of your eternal rival, one Maito Gai" he added, and Kakashi studied him. "They warned me about you. They said that you failed your students for the past few years" he said, and Kakashi chuckled.

"So Gai's brats spoke to you. How did you meet them? Was it because of your Anko- _sensei_?" Kakashi asked, and Naruto heard the mocking tone he used when he referred to his teacher.

"In a way, yes" Naruto said, and Kakashi just nodded his head. "I get the feeling that you two are not on good terms" he added.

"That's between the both of us" Kakashi said, and then took out a kunai. "Shall we get started now?" he asked.

"One more question. Did you give the other students this test?" Naruto asked, and Kakashi eye smiled at him. "You did" he added and Kakashi just disappeared. "Shit" he whispered. He ducked and heard when the metal of the kunai met the bark of the tree. He jumped off the tree and while in mid air, he saw the silver haired man above him. Naruto's eyes widened, as Kakashi's hands blurred with hand seals.

"Houden no jutsu"* he annotated and the blast caused Naruto to crash down to earth. He heard when the boy cried out, and he felt a little bad for going so hard on him, when he felt something beside him. His lone eye widened, as he noticed the puff from the crater in the ground. "Kage bunshin" he whispered and another clone latched onto him.

"Bunshin Daibakuha" the clone whispered but Kakashi wasn't finished yet. Before the clone exploded, Kakashi switched places with one of his own nearby clones.

"Was that the jutsu you were hoping would knock me out long enough to get a bell?" Kakashi asked, what seemed like the original Naruto. His eye took in the flicking, dying flames of some of the trees that were caught in the blaze. The clearing was burnt to a crisp.

"Yeah" he said, panting a little. Kakashi nearly smirked. He straightened up and Kakashi rolled his shoulders.

"I'm not going easy on you like I did with the other two. Let's kick this up a notch" Kakashi said, crossing the distance between them in a second. Kakashi's punch was stopped by the blonde's forearm.

"Getting my ass kicked by Lee opened my mind a bit. I got these" he said, and he could see the gauntlet under the trench coat.

"Oh, that's nice" Kakashi said, as they broke apart, before they rushed each once more. Naruto slipped under Kakashi's kick, and followed up with one of his own. Kakashi swerved out of way, and Naruto's foot smashed against of one of the trees. Kakashi ran through some hand seals before shouting "Dengan no jutsu!"

"Crap" Naruto hissed as he heard the snap and crackle of electricity coming towards him. "Kage bunshin no jutsu" he said, crossing his hands in a familiar seal.

"Yo!" Umi shouted and when he saw the bolts heading towards them, his eyes widened. "You need to get out of here!" he added, and grabbing his hand, he threw Naruto away. As he was sailing through the air, he saw when Umi's body jolted forward with the shock, before falling to his knees. With a strained smile his way, Umi dispelled. Naruto's own body shook as Umi's memories filtered into his mind. Before he could even feel the pain, Sakura's shout stopped him. Shit, Sakura, he thought.

* * *

Sakura saw the clone running through the forest at a pace she could never keep up with. In fact, it was just a blur, and gust of wind that made her acutely aware that he was even there. She had to think of a way to get him to stop and turn his attention to her instead. She weighed the kunai in her hand, and tried to come up with a plan. She had to think of one fast, or the man's clone would reach its destination. She had exactly five seconds. The clock ticked by and yet she couldn't think of anything. She looked at the tree in front of her, and something clicked in her mind. She had read somewhere in one of her books that one of the sennin, Senju Tsunade had became as strong as she was, by channeling chakra into her limbs. **Three seconds**. She had been practicing, but would it actually work? She swore. **Two seconds**. "No thinking about it now" she whispered to herself and spread her legs apart. She closed her eyes and slowed down her breathing. She summoned the little chakra she had, and with a loud shout, she forced the chakra into her right leg. "Come at me, you bastard!" she shouted and slammed her foot down on the ground. With fatigue and satisfaction, she watched as the earth cracked. She toppled over as clumps of large dirt and rocks rumbled all the way to the clone. She smirked as the clone had to stop as the earth shook under him. The lone eye widened as it was destroyed. However the assault wasn't finished. Not yet, anyway. The chakra induced earth quake grabbed the roots of the tree, and she watched as the tree titled on its axis. **"Go, girl, now is your chance!" Inner Sakura** shouted at her and with a nod, she got to her feet. As she was running with her clumsy feet due to her tiredness, she watched with horror as another clone had taken the place of his fallen brother. It was hopping on the trees above her.

"That's not enough to stop me, little Sakura" the clone said stopping in front of her, but she refused to give up.

"Sasuke-kun and Naruto are counting on me, so get out of my way!" she screamed, throwing a sloppy punch at him. He dodged it and smirked at her. He punched her in the gut, and saliva sprayed from her mouth. She slumped to her knees and he towered over her.

"I can't go easy on you anymore, Sakura and for that you should be proud" Kakashi clone said and before he could knock her out, he felt the original calling out to him. He sighed and looked at her. "Count your luck" he whispered and disappeared.

* * *

A few moments ago

"Be aware of your surroundings, Naruto" he heard someone say and it snapped him out of his thoughts. Before he could blink, the person he knew was Kakashi added "Konoha Daisenpu". Naruto's body was propelled forward with the force of the kick before he crashed into one of the trees. He slumped down against the tree with blood pouring out of his mouth. Kakashi landed in front of him. "You were good, even better than Sasuke" he said, when the boy chuckled. He looked at Naruto who had a little smirk on his face.

"I'm way better than that teme could ever be" he whispered and that was Kakashi heard the hiss of an explosive tag. His eye widened and when he looked down he saw the kunai besides his right foot. "Boom" he added as the last clone Naruto had hidden carried him away from the explosion. They weren't even three feet away, when Naruto's eyes widened. Kakashi, with his now slightly charred uniform, had punched the blonde's clone out. The clone Kakashi had sent after Sasuke had managed to rescue him. Naruto fell to the ground and he screamed when the branches of the trees smacked against his already bruised body. When he finally made it to the ground, all he could do was lie back as Kakashi stood above him.

"You should be proud, Naruto. You're the first genin to actually do this much damage to me" he said but Naruto just grunted. He barely registered the tinkering sound of a bell in the distance. "Time's up" he said, with that lazy, cheery voice that Naruto came to hate, just like the man himself.

* * *

Jutsu List courtesy of NarutoHQ.

Houden no Jutsu (Electrical Discharge Technique)  
ninjutsu  
Rank: C  
CP: 5  
Description: The user releases a large blast of electrical energy after forming a list of  
five hand seals, monkey and rat being a few in the seal list that attacks all nearby targets.  
PVP: Deals 1d10 to 1d4+1 targets that are close range.

Dengan no Jutsu (Stun gun Technique)  
Ninjutsu  
Rank: D  
CP: 3  
Description: The user fires a ray of shocking currents and must make a ranged attack against any  
living creature within 10 feet. The effect much like that of a tazer.  
PVP: The target is stunned for 1 round by the electric volt.

Bunshin Daibakuha (Clone Great Explosion)  
Name: Bunshin Daibakuha, literally "Clone Great Explosion"  
Type: A-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5m)  
This jutsu works in combination with the Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Replication Technique), and basically creates a Shadow Replication that will also explode on command, potentially killing or injuring those caught in the blast.

Konoha Daisenpu (Leaf Great Whirlwind) **  
**Name: Konoha Daisenpu, literally "Leaf Great Whirlwind"  
Type: C-rank, Offensive, Short range (0-5m)  
A spinning kick in the air, which propels the user forward.


	34. Chapter 30

Chapter thirty – You fail!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

* * *

When Naruto and Kakashi strolled back in the training grounds, Sakura was finishing up the job of digging Sasuke out of the hole. Her face, hands and dress were drenched in sweat as well as dirt. She had used her kunai, the only sharp thing she had, to dig the boy out. However, Sasuke was less than thankful when she hoisted him up. "Sensei!" Sakura shouted, as Sasuke brushed off her offer of help. Kakashi glanced at Naruto who shook his head at Sasuke. When her eyes fell on Naruto, she shot him a weak smile and he inclined his head at her. Kakashi took note of their reactions, before eye smiling at them. Sasuke glared at Naruto who didn't even look at him. Kakashi appeared behind Sakura who let out a surprised scream before he quickly tied her up to one of the stumps. "Compared to the boys, you did the worst" he said, and he inwardly winced at her crestfallen face. "Maybe I was too harsh" he thought, scratching his head.

"How was she worst than the dobe?" Sasuke asked, through clenched teeth. Naruto sat down right where he stood, and crossed his hands.

"Well, if you should know, Naruto here was the best out of the three of you" Kakashi said, patting Naruto's hooded head as he appeared beside the blonde. He allowed Sasuke to process the information, and just as he expected, the boy was enraged.

"Yeah right" Sasuke snorted and Naruto chuckled. "What's so funny, _dobe_?" he sneered at him. Something about seeing Uchiha Sasuke stuck in the dirt with his head poking out of the ground made him less perfect and more, human. If Naruto were to be honest, one of the reasons why he detested Sasuke was the fact that he seemed leagues ahead of him. He was the boy that was revered by everyone including their peers and instructors alike, while Naruto himself was left with nothing but their scorn. However, seeing the other boy so utterly defeated showed Naruto that unlike what people thought, Uchiha Sasuke was not invincible. And Naruto relished in the thought, though the usual hatred he had for the stoic boy seemed to lessen as he looked at the scowling boy. He looked like that, nothing but a boy and for the first time, Naruto was the one who had the upper hand.

"You are" Naruto said and Sasuke was ready to tear him apart, if it wasn't for Kakashi, that it is.

"Enough" Kakashi said, and the boys begrudgingly listened to him. "Now, let's talk about the test, shall we?" he asked, and Sasuke sat down. "You all...fail!" he shouted.

"What?" Sasuke shouted as he stood up once more. "How can I fail? I touched the bells!" he shouted.

"You touched it but you didn't get it" Kakashi said and Sasuke's mouth shut tightly at his statement. "Did you all know that there was a purpose behind this test? One that none of my students could never guess?" he asked. "Do you know what it is?" he added, looking at Sakura. She wasn't the most skilled fighter amongst the three, but she was certainly the smartest.

"Team work" she whispered, her eyes wide with realization. "That's why there are two bells. It's like musical chairs" she said and Sasuke turned to her, with a perplexed look on his face. "There's always a chair short, so as to pit the contestants against each other. That was part of the challenge because you wanted us to come together, to earn a bell, as one. That's the purpose of the test" she explained and Kakashi nodded. The girl was certainly brilliant.

"Exactly, you three were supposed to work together to earn that bell, as a team" Kakashi said.

"Why?" Sasuke asked, and Kakashi looked at him. "Out there in the shinobi world, it's every man for himself. I need no one, and I certainly don't need a dobe, or a fan girl to help me out" Sasuke added, and Sakura clutched her dress at his words.

"If that was the case, then why are the students straight out of the Academy assigned to a team? Why do the Anbu operate in a unit?" Naruto asked and Sasuke scowled at him. "You're more of an idiot than I thought, Uchiha. We all need people to rely on. If everyone thought like that, then there wouldn't be any shinobi villages" he added and Kakashi patted his head. "Stop that" he hissed at Kakashi who just chuckled in response.

"Well said, Naruto. It's just as he said, Sasuke. We're assigned to a team, so you can help each other grow, and to look out for one another. That's why I wanted to teach you three this lesson. I need you all to trust each other enough so that you can work together. When you're on a team, out on a real mission, your comrades are the ones who have your back, and you have theirs" Kakashi said, and he could see that the Uchiha were thinking about his words.

"You three failed the true purpose of the test. You, Sasuke, was too eager and cocky for your own good. You thought you could handle me on your own, and that was your downfall. You, Sakura, was too concerned about Sasuke. As a result, you fainted because of a simple henge, which you no doubt could have dispelled. And finally, Naruto, you were indeed the best compared to these two, but you weren't good enough. For one, you should've put the grudge between you and Sasuke aside, before making a real attempt at team work with your comrades. All in all, you all disappointed me" he said, allowing his words to really register in their minds. Sakura was on the verge of tears, Sasuke looked like he was ready to murder anything in his way and Naruto had his hand clenched.

"I have something to take care of, so I'll be leaving the three of you alone for while. Naruto, Sasuke you two have earned the right to eat lunch but Sakura is not to be given anything to eat" he added and disappeared. Naruto and Sasuke took their respective bento but neither felt the need to open them. They knew Sakura was crying, and they didn't know exactly how to comfort the pink haired girl. Naruto kicked Sasuke's leg and the black haired boy glared at him. Naruto nudged his head towards the sobbing girl and Sasuke scowled. Naruto threatened him with a fist, and Sasuke snorted. Naruto pulled down the hood of his hood, and Sasuke sighed at the pointed look Naruto shot him. Awkwardly, Sasuke's hand shot out and landed on Sakura's head. He didn't know why he actually conceded to the blonde's silent demand. The girl stiffened under his hand, and using the memory of his late mother's actions, he ran his hand through her hair.  
"It's...uh...going be okay" he said and Naruto almost laughed. Uchiha's eyes narrowed at Naruto who held up his hands in the air. Sakura sniffed and looked at them.

"It's my fault that we failed" she whispered and Naruto glanced at Sasuke who returned the look. "If I had helped you two out, we could have passed" she added.

"The thing is I don't think I would've taken your help" Sasuke said, removing his hand from her head. "In fact, I would've insulted you if anything" he added and they could hear the sadness in his voice at the confession.

"We failed because we were selfish" Naruto said, and they turned to him. "Let's face it. We hate each other" he added and Sasuke smirked.

"I don't hate you!" Sakura shouted and with wide eyes, Naruto looked at her. "I could never" she added.

"Well, I hate you" Sasuke said, though there wasn't any of his usual bitterness. "And I get that the feeling is mutual" he added with a chuckle.

"Damn right it is. I can't stand your guts" Naruto said and Sasuke rolled his eyes at him while Sakura smiled at them. "Hatake-sensei was right. We were all pre-occupied with ourselves that we didn't even think about helping each other out and that's why we failed" Naruto added.

"Since when, do you have a brain in that empty head of yours?" Sasuke asked and Naruto stuck his tongue out at him. "There's the dobe I know" he added with a smirk.

"You're a real asshole, you know that?" Naruto asked and Sasuke shrugged. Sakura smiled at them. They were sort of getting along.

"Maybe we can get him to give us another chance" Sakura piped up and they turned to her. "And this time, we can work together" she added and Sasuke arched his eyebrow.

"That's if he agrees" Naruto said and opened his bento. They heard Sakura's stomach grumble and she blushed out of embarrassment.

"Here" Sasuke said, holding up his chopsticks to her lips. Even Naruto was surprised. "If we do ask him for another chance, you'll need your strength" he added and with a meek nod, she took the offered food.

"Well, what do you know? You actually have a heart. I thought it had shriveled up with all your jerkiness" Naruto said and Sasuke just 'hnned' at him.

"That's not a word, Naruto" Sakura said and Naruto just rolled his eyes as Sasuke chuckled.

"It is" he said, and Sasuke glanced at him when Naruto placed some of his food in his own bento.

"What are you doing?" Sasuke asked, stopping his task of feeding Sakura. The girl nearly pouted.

"You're sharing half of your bento with Sakura, and I'll share half of my bento with you. What's wrong with that?" Naruto said, looking away and Sasuke frowned but didn't say anything. Sasuke continued feeding Sakura, when Kakashi reappeared in front of them. The chopsticks nearly fell from Sasuke's hands as the jounin's murderous aura lashed about the training grounds.

* * *

" **You three!"** his voice boomed as grey clouds seemed to gather in the background. Sakura gulped, Sasuke didn't move and Naruto held onto his bento. **"Didn't I give you exact instructions?! You dare to defy me?"** He continued as he stepped forward. Suddenly it got darker.

"Sensei, it's my fault. The others had nothing to do with this!" Sakura pleaded but Kakashi didn't say anything.

"No, it's my fault. I forced her to eat the food" Sasuke said and Kakashi looked at him. "If you have to punish anyone, punish me" he added.

"Yeah right teme" Naruto said, and Sasuke glanced at him. "I'm the one who forced you to feed Sakura. You both didn't do anything wrong. It was my fault" he added and Sasuke snorted at him.

"It was my fault, _dobe_ " Sasuke said, and they bumped foreheads, ready to rip out each other's throat.

"No, it was my fault, _teme_ " Naruto said through gritted teeth and Kakashi clapped his hands. They blinked and turned to the man. The previous scariness was gone.

"You three passed!" he chirped and Naruto scratched his head. Sasuke scowled, clearly angry that he didn't understand and Sakura studied his masked face. "Sakura, care to explain?" he asked crossing his hands across his chest. Sakura smiled.

"It was another test, wasn't it?" Sakura asked and he nodded. "Another test of team work" she added and her team mates finally caught onto the meaning.

"And you three passed with flying colors" Kakashi said with an eye smile. "Now that you're my students and a part of team seven, there is something I must pass down onto you three" Kakashi said, and he looked at them each. Unconsciously, they straightened their backs. "The world that we shinobi live in, is one that forces us to think outside the normal. But the most important rule we must live by is this: A ninja who breaks the rule is trash but a ninja who abandons his comrades is worse than trash" he said. When his eye landed on, Sasuke, the boy looked away. Sakura glanced at her team mates and she clenched her fists.

" **We won't bring them down. We'll be their equals**!" Inner Sakura shouted and she nodded. "We'll protect our comrades" she thought.

"That's it for today, kiddies" Kakashi said, clapping his hands, snapping them out of their thoughts. "The missions will start tomorrow, so rest up today. Oh, by the way, welcome to Team Seven" he added and Naruto couldn't help but think that it was some kind of foreboding for the future.

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A/N: ~Foreboding~~ *echoes in the distance*

And with that Team seven embarks on their journey.


	35. Chapter 31

Chapter thirty one- Meeting Konohamaru

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me nor will it.

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As Kakashi, the new sensei of Team seven left to report in to the Hokage, he had one thought in his mind. "The others are going to have a field day when they find out I passed those brats" Kakashi chuckled to himself before he disappeared from the training grounds. Naruto stood up while Sasuke cut the ropes that bound Sakura. She whispered her thanks with a tinge of pink on her cheeks. She may not be fawning over the love of her life but she certainly, behaved like a girl with a crush.

Naruto stretched a little and decided that he would return home to read his letter. With that in mind, he walked off, while Sasuke placed his kunai back into his pouch. Sasuke, who decided that he would get some training done, turned to leave, when a look of panic crossed Sakura's face. She stared at the backs of her new team mates and frowned. "Ano" she said and they stopped walking. Sasuke glanced at her but Naruto didn't move. "Do you two want to get something to eat?" she asked, but it came out in a shout. Her eyes widened and she slapped a hand over her mouth. She blushed as Sasuke arched an eyebrow at her.

"I'll take a rain check" Naruto said, and turned his head in her direction. "Maybe next time" he added and her frown deepened.

"Me too" Sasuke said and she turned to him. "I've got some things that I need to get to" he offered up, when he saw the sullen expression on her face.

"Ah, that's okay. Next time then" she said to them both and with hurried steps, she walked away.

* * *

Since he was a shinobi now, he couldn't work at Riku's dango store anymore. It was something the three had decided some months ago, though Naruto wasn't happy with it. He loved working with the old man and Ami. Naruto sighed at the thought before closing his door. He removed the hood from his head and walked to the little table. He sat down and retrieved the scroll from his pocket. His hands faltered before he could open it. This letter was in response to Naruto's own that the blonde had written the same night he found out he had the Kyuubi sealed in him. He had remembered what Arata said, about the seals of their clan and it got Naruto thinking. If only an Uzumaki could seal something like a Bijuu, then that meant, an Uzumaki had sealed the Kyuubi into him. So, who was it? And if the only Uzumaki in Konoha was Naruto, then did that mean his mother was the one who had committed the deed some many years ago? Was his mother the one who sentenced him to a life like this? Why would she do something like that? And, who was she? When he thought about asking the Sandaime, he decided against it. Naruto knew the Sandaime wouldn't give him the answers he wanted, so with trembling hands, he wrote Arata. He asked him, if he knew any Uzumaki women who left for Konoha, along with another question. What happens to a person if a Bijuu is sealed into them? He stared at the scroll in his hand. With a shake of his head, he opened it. He had to know.

" _Naruto,_

 _I got your letter from Tori-san and I'm glad that you wrote me. As for your question, I don't know any Uzumaki women who moved to Konoha. When our clan was scattered across the Elemental Nations, our people had lost contact with each other, so it is and was rather difficult to determine exactly who went where. However, don't lose hope. I've sent word to some of my associates, and at this moment, they're looking to see, if we can find a name for you. And, as for your second question, that's rather difficult to answer as well. One can only speculate. I don't know for sure, but I know someone who does. I've contacted her and she's agreed to meet you. Just look out for her, she's not hard to miss. That's all I can do for you right now, I hope it was enough. Until next time and don't hesitate to write me. Don't forget to burn this scroll afterwards._

 _Arata"_

Naruto threw the scroll on the table, frustration and exasperation rolled into one. On one hand, he was glad that Arata had replied and was working so hard to help him out, but on the other hand, he was upset that he didn't get the answers he wanted. He rubbed his temples and he leaned back on his hands that were propping him up. However, he still had hope. Arata said that some woman had the answers he was seeking. "All I have to do now is, wait" he said to himself.

* * *

Konohamaru looked at the run down apartment complex in front of him. He had managed to get some information regarding the strange blonde. He crumpled up the piece of paper and snickered when he heard Ebisu, his baka instructor shouting for him, halfway across the village. He wiped his nose, and wrapped his scarf around his neck once more. He was going to meet the boy, his grand father always talked about.

* * *

After he had stripped off his jacket, he sat with crossed legs, trying the meditation exercise the old man had given him. He closed his eyes and took some deep breaths. "Relax" he said aloud, following the instructions.

 _Imagine yourself, standing in the middle of a nice big forest._

He hummed as the scroll required him to, but when he did try to imagine the forest, only the Forest of Death flashed in his mind. His eyes immediately snapped open, and his concentration was gone. He grumbled to himself and tried again.

 _Imagine the sun's rays gently touching your skin_

He sighed and tried his utmost best. "Sun's rays" he mumbled, when he heard the couple next door quarrelling. "I'm trying to meditate here, bastards!" he shouted, and the woman just loudly swore a reply at him. He shook his head and shouted back "That's real mature!" but the woman just repeated her previous reply. He sighed and closed his eyes again. "Ignore them and concentrate" he whispered to himself and he tried to visualize himself, standing in the so-called 'nice' forest. That was when he heard loud hammering from the other side of his apartment. He swore under his breath and shouted "Keep it down, bastard!"

"Go to hell!" the man shouted back and Naruto gritted his teeth. Naruto slammed his fists on the ground. He shouted out his irritation and the man shouted "Now, look who's the one making noise!"

Naruto could feel the anger simmering in the pit of his stomach, and he knew he had to calm himself. "Nice forest, sun's rays" he said to himself, only for someone to knock on his door. He threw his hands in the air and shook his head as he got up. "Can't a boy meditate in peace around here?" he asked himself. When he opened the door, he was surprised to see Konohamaru looking at him. "Uh" he said and Konohamaru poked his head into his apartment.

"Are you busy?" Konohamaru asked and Naruto closed the door a little as the boy started to gape at his apartment.

"Yes and why are you here?" Naruto asked, positioning his body so the boy wouldn't rush inside. Konohamaru fixed his scarf and scratched his head.

"I, uh, wanted to meet you?" he said, though it came out more like a question. Naruto just looked at him. "Ah, you see, grandpa always talk about you so I wanted to get to know you" he added as he looked at the floor.

"Oh" Naruto said and Konohamaru didn't dare to look at him. "Uh, well come inside" Naruto added, moving out the way so the boy could. He watched as Konohamaru looked around, taking in everything. "Have a seat" he said and the boy plopped himself down by the table. "So" Naruto said, as an awkward silence settled in.

"You live here by yourself, right?" Konohamaru asked, looking at the single bed and Naruto nodded. "You know, grandpa said that you're one of the bravest people he knows" he added, and Naruto's eyes widened.

"He said that?" Naruto asked and Konohamaru nodded. "I didn't know he talked about me" he said, rubbing behind his head.

"Yeah, he talks about you all the time" Konohamaru said and Naruto looked at him. "He's always saying that he's proud of you" he added and looked at the scrolls littering the table.

"Huh" Naruto said and Konohamaru smiled at him. "Well, he talks about you too" he added and now it was Konohamaru's time to be surprised.

"He does?" he asked, shock on his face.

"Yeah, he's always going on and on about his cute grand son" Naruto said and he could see that the pleased look on the boy's face. Konohamaru let out an embarrassed groan and Naruto chuckled.

"He's always like that" Konohamaru said, looking up at the older boy. When Konohamaru saw the head band, he gasped. "You're a shinobi?!" he shouted, standing on his feet.

"Yeah, I just passed my genin exam" Naruto said and Konohamaru stared at him with awe in his eyes.

"Amazing" Konohamaru breathed out, and Naruto thought that the boy was just like he was, some years ago. "Can I touch it?" he asked and Naruto nodded.

"Knock yourself out" Naruto said, Konohamaru tentatively took up the headband. Konohamaru seemed to be mesmerized by the carved symbol in the metal.

"This is so cool!" Konohamaru shouted and Naruto just smiled at his behavior. "You're actually a shinobi" he whispered.

"Someday, you'll have a headband yourself" Naruto said leaning against his bed. Konohamaru turned to him.

"Can I ask you something?" Konohamaru asked and Naruto nodded. The boy placed the headband back onto the table. "How do you do it?" he added and Naruto's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"What do you mean? Do what?" Naruto asked and Konohamaru adjusted his scarf again as he fumbled for words.

"Grandpa told me that you don't have any family" Konohamaru said and Naruto's gaze dropped to the floor. "How do you handle the loneliness?" he asked.

"That's a really heavy question for a brat like you" Naruto said with a light tone of voice and Konohamaru shouted at him. "Why ask something like that?" he added, and Konohamaru touched his scarf.

"I lost my parents" Konohamaru said and Naruto stilled at the statement. "Even though grandpa takes care of me, it gets lonely, you know? People don't see Saturobi Konohamaru when they look at me. They only see the Hokage's, honorable grandson and it's one of the reasons why no one wants to be my friend" he confessed. "I thought if there's anyone who could understand me, it would be you. Believe it or not, you're my hero" he added. Naruto was speechless. Someone actually looked up to him? He thought to himself.

"Thanks?" Naruto said and Konohamaru laughed. He blushed out of embarrassment and stood up. "I'm thirsty, what about you?" he asked and Konohamaru nodded. He got two sodas out of the fridge and gave the younger boy one. With a pop and a hiss, the cans were open. Naruto took a long sip and then looked at Konohamaru. "It is lonely" he said, and Konohamaru stared at the can. "But I'll tell you a secret" he added and Konohamaru looked up. "If you want to fill the void, only family can do that" he said and ruffled the boy's hair.

"Is that true?" Konohamaru asked as he placed the can near his feet. "Does it really work for you?" he added, gazing at the many pictures near Naruto's bed.

"Yeah, it does" Naruto said, thinking about Ami, Riku and the Hokage. "Once you have people precious to you, it changes everything. I mean look at me. Can you believe that I used to wear an orange jumpsuit?" he said, wearing a horrified expression on his face. Konohamaru burst out in giggles and Naruto smiled. "Hang in there and things will be fine" he added.

"Thanks, Naruto" Konohamaru said and Naruto just nodded. "People don't really try to explain anything to me, not even my instructor. They all expect me to be as great as grandpa. It's like they forget that I'm just a kid" he said and Naruto's eyes softened.

"He casts a pretty large shadow, doesn't he?" Naruto asked sipping his soda and Konohamaru nodded. "That's why it's up to you, to get out of it. You're the one who has the power to create the change you wish to see. Old man Riku taught me that" he added.

"Wow, he sounds wise" Konohamaru said and Naruto placed the can on the ground as he thought about it.

"He is" Naruto said and then turned to Konohamaru. He would help the boy as Riku helped him. "Ignore what people say or think they want from you. Just be the best Saturobi Konohamaru you can be, not the next best Saturobi Hiruzen" he added and Konohamaru's eyes widened.

"I think I'll do just that" Konohamaru said and Naruto raised his can to the younger boy. Konohamaru followed suit and they knocked the cans together in a toast.

"To Saturobi Konohamaru" Naruto said and Konohamaru smiled at him before repeating his words. They each took a sip of the soda.

"So, an orange jumpsuit, huh? Really?" Konohamaru asked and Naruto just mumbled at him. Konohamaru snickered and yelped as Naruto swatted his head.

* * *

Author's notes: Yes, I know. Konohamaru is totally out of character, and their meeting is not like the one they had in the canon universe. What can I say? I just felt like this meeting would down this way.


	36. Chapter 32

Chapter thirty two- Partners

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.

* * *

"That's it for the day, kiddies!" Kakashi said, and each of his students shot him a withering glare.

"That mission sucked" Naruto said and the others nodded. "You suck, Hatake-sensei" he added and turned to leave. Kakashi frowned. Unlike his other students, Naruto was the only one who didn't call him Kakashi-sensei.

"The dobe's right" Sasuke said and Naruto glared at him. They had a little stand off, so Sakura stepped in the middle. Kakashi smirked. Just like Rin, he thought.

"Welcome to the world of genin" someone said and they turned to Tenten as she wore a smile on her face.

"Tenten" Naruto said and she chuckled as she moved towards him. She gave him a pat on the shoulder. "You were right" he mumbled and she smirked.

"I'm always right" Tenten said and caught sight of Kakashi. "Well, I'll be" she whispered and Naruto smirked.

"You're one of Gai's, right?" Kakashi asked her and she bowed her head in respect. "How is the maniac? Still shouting about youth?" he added, looking over his orange book. Tenten bristled at it but replied.

"Gai-sensei will never stop" she said, cracking a smile. Kakashi hummed and Tenten caught Sakura openly staring at her. "Oh, I'm Tenten, a friend of Naruto's" she greeted both Sasuke and Sakura. Sakura meekly bowed her head and Sasuke grunted. "You remind me of Neji" she added, mostly to herself.

"Where's Lee?" Naruto asked and Tenten sighed. "With your sensei, huh?" he asked and she nodded.

"Yup, so I thought I could get my promised dango" Tenten said and Naruto chuckled. "Do you mind if I steal him from you all?" she asked the rest. They shook their heads and Tenten walked off. "Come on, you owe me!" she said over her shoulder.

"See ya later" Naruto said to no one in particular and caught up to Tenten. They watched as the two casually talked while they walked.

"Since when did Naruto have friends?" Sakura whispered to herself, and she couldn't help the guilt from reaching her throat.

* * *

"Naruto-kun!" Ami happily shouted as they entered the dango store. Riku looked up and shot the boy a smile. She immediately hugged him and he blushed as the people in the store laughed. Some called out the blonde who waved back. "Oh, and you're one of Naruto-kun's friends, right?" she asked, looking at Tenten.

"Yeah, I'm Tenten" she said as Riku approached. Naruto glared at Riku who had a sly grin on his face.

"Don't start, old man" Naruto said and Riku playfully placed his hands in the air, like he was under arrest.

"I don't even know what you're talking about" Riku said and smiled at Tenten who returned the gesture. "I remember you. You were with that green boy, right?" he added and Tenten nodded.

"That's Lee. He's one of my team mates" Tenten said as they were directed to one of the vacant tables.

"You're a shinobi too?" Ami asked and Tenten nodded. "Wow, that's amazing" she added and Tenten just smiled.

"So, what can I get you two youngsters?" Riku asked and Ami took their orders. He gave Naruto a nudge who frowned in turn. "She's pretty, my boy" he added and Tenten arched an eyebrow at them. Naruto spluttered.

"He's just a pervert, don't mind him" Naruto said and Riku laughed. "Old man, could you stop it?" he whispered. That was when he saw Anko, sauntering into the store. "Kami, no" he added and Tenten paled. Anko looked around until she caught sight of them. Her eyes narrowed and there was a smirk on her face. "Damn" he mumbled.

"Ohohohoho~" Anko laughed as she approached them. "What do we have here?" she asked.

"Anko-sensei" Naruto said and she laughed at his appalled expression. "What are you doing here?" he asked with a nervous chuckle.

"Don't mind me, let's talk about you. Who is this?" she asked, with a sweet tone of voice and Tenten bowed her head in respect.

"I'm Tenten, his friend" Tenten said and Anko nodded, with her eyes trained on Tenten's face. "Nice to meet you" she added.

"Oh, the pleasure is all mine, Tenten-chan~" Anko said, and then turned to Naruto. She laughed before she pushed herself beside him, so she could sit. She crossed her legs and placed her hand on Naruto's shoulder. "Why didn't you tell me you had such a cute girlfriend, gaki?" she asked and Naruto spat out the water he was drinking. She cackled and Naruto turned bright red.

"Anko-sensei!" he shouted with embarrassment etched on his face.

* * *

"I'm really sorry about them" Naruto said, as they walked down the street. Tenten just waved at him.

"Don't worry. My family is the same" Tenten said. Naruto shook his head and apologized again. "It's okay, Naruto. Really" she added.

"It still doesn't make me feel better" Naruto said and she just smiled.

"No harm done. See you later?" she asked and he nodded. They waved at each other and he watched her leave. Before he could turn to meet up with Anko-sensei, a large white puff engulfed him as he disappeared from the human world.

* * *

"Finally, you're here" the High Elder said when Naruto opened his eyes. Ko waved at him and Chie smiled. Naruto blinked and Takao scowled.

"Ara, where am I?" Naruto asked, looking around the large clearing. "Huh?" he added as he stared at the large crowd of enormous tigers, who were drinking and having a great time, all around him. He was amazed at the size of those cups that were no doubt filled with sake. Loud sounds of drums drew his attention to the front, where a band was playing.

"Welcome again, young summoner" the High Elder said, walking up to him. "If you're wondering how you got here, I reverse summoned you into our plane" he added and Naruto finally stood up.

"Why?" Naruto asked and the Leader frowned but glanced at the High Elder. "I don't like the sound of that" Naruto added.

"You're here for an important rite of our clan" Leader Hisao told him with a toneless voice and Naruto arched an eyebrow. He seemed to hate Naruto even more.

"An important rite?" Naruto repeated and Chie was the one who nodded. "What do you mean?" he asked and without a word, the Leader started walking away.

"First, let's get to the dojo" the Leader said and Naruto reluctantly followed after him. Ko shyly smiled at him but he didn't greet him from his spot on his mother's back. He noticed the stiff manner of the family and he couldn't help but wonder if something happened. Chie offered him a smile of her own and well, Takao was glowering at him like usual. As they drew farther away from the revelry, his attention was already somewhere else. They walked down another set of mossy, rail less stairs flanked with lanterns and bamboo trees. Unlike his first time there, it was during the day and he couldn't help but be astounded by the peaceful beauty that was the Tora clan's home. His eyes focused on the dojo as they approached and he could see the tension in the trio's form. They, he and the leader, took off their shoes, and bowed before entering. When they were fully inside, the leader turned to him. Without a word yet again, Leader Hisao placed his hand out and a strange pinkish orange flame appeared in it. He gasped and Takao huffed at him. "What is that?!" he asked.

"That flame will help determine who your partner will be" the High Elder said and Naruto shot him a confused look. "Every one of our summoners must have a partner, young Naruto. It is one of our rites, one that binds the summoner and allotted clan member together. As you know, the Okabe family and our clan made a pact, the day the monks discovered our summoning scroll. In accordance to that pact, it stated that for each summoner, only one of our members would be in their service. Therefore Okabe Minoru was partnered with Chie, just like the others before them. And now, you must be given a partner" he said, as Leader Hisao was looking into the fire.

"When you say partner, what do you mean exactly?" Naruto asked, and High Elder seemed to smile at him.

"He or she will become your protector and your comrade. You two will fight as one" the Leader said with a frigid tone, and Naruto snapped his mouth close, as the fire burned brighter. "Aha" he whispered and with that, the flame died.

"So, did you find out who my partner is?" Naruto asked and the leader nodded, though he didn't like the pity in his eyes. "Who is it?" he added.

"Takao" he said, and Naruto's gaped, as said tiger roared out his displeasure.

* * *

"What? That can't be right!" Naruto shouted at the Leader who had closed his eyes as Takao kept growling.

"Leader-sama, I can't be partnered with that blonde idiot! He's a human!" Takao shouted and Naruto scowled at him.

"Who are you calling an idiot? And it's not like I want to be partners with you, either!" Naruto shouted at him.

"Oh, yeah?" Takao shouted and Naruto nodded in defiance. "Come over and say that to my face!" he added and ignored his mother as she tried to calm him down.

"That's enough you two" the Leader said with a remorseful voice. He may not like the situation as it was, but he had to respect tradition and his role as the leader. If the flame said that his son was to be Naruto's partner, then he had no choice but to listen and obey. "This is your fate and as members of the Tora clan, you must abide by it" he added with finality. The power behind his words stopped any protests they were going to voice. Takao bowed his head a little but the scowl never left his face. "From today forth, you Takao must be the Yin to Naruto's Yang. You will have to fit together like two pieces of a completed puzzle, each complimenting the other. No one will lead yet the both of you will follow. This is your destiny" he added and Naruto, for one, was confused by the tiger's words.

"Yes, leader-sama" Takao said and Naruto glanced at the tiger. He was surprised that the tiger was so respectful.

"Now, step forward you two" the High Elder said and they both did as instructed. "Before I teach you the secret ways of our clan, there is something that is required from you both" he said, giving them each a level stare. "In order to perform any of our jutsu, your hearts will have to resonate as one" he added and Naruto scratched his head.

"Ano, how is that even possible?" he asked despite himself. Yeah, he had done and seen some strange things in his life, but this? This was beyond anything his mind could understand. The High Elder smiled at him.

"It's simple really. All it means is that you two have to come to understand each other" Chie said and Takao scuffed. Naruto, of course was offended.

"I already understand Takao" Naruto said and everyone in the room looked at him. "He's a snide tiger who hates humans and has a God complex. What else is there to him?" he asked with a sly grin on his face. Takao's claws retracted from his paws, digging into the wooden floor. He was ready to pounce on him.

"Oh, if you know me, then I know you too. You're a stupid human who pretends like he cares about things around him, when in fact, he can't even like his own self" Takao snorted and Naruto clenched his fists. The comment had hit too close to home for his liking.

"Okay, let's stop with the insults now" the Leader Hisao snapped and they turned towards him.

"Especially, since it's time to talk about your first trail as partners" the High Elder said and Naruto arched an eyebrow. "You two must spend time with each other, today" he added.

"What?!" Takao shouted and Naruto frowned. How exactly was Takao supposed to observe Naruto with his huge size? It wasn't like Naruto had told the Hokage about the Tora clan or the fact that he was their new summoner. "Why?" he asked, outrage still thick in his voice.

"Because, my young cub, you two must learn to accept each other, regardless of the baggage you may carry" the High Elder said in place of Leader Hisao before he glanced at them both. Naruto looked at his feet, as his throat closed up a little. Takao wasn't doing any better.

"By spending time with Naruto, you will come to discern how his thinks, his past, his feelings and by extension, his heart. And the same is true for you, Naruto" he added and if it was possible, the two grew paler. For awhile, no one spoke. Neither Takao nor Naruto wanted their lives poked into, but they knew that they could go up against neither the Leader nor the High Elder. In that silence, they were struggling with acceptance and hopelessness of the situation before them. The High Elder was the one to break them out of their thoughts.

"Don't worry everything will be fine" he assured them, but they weren't so sure. Naruto and Takao glanced at each other and for one brief moment, they agreed on one thing for the first time since they met each other. They weren't happy about the arrangement.

* * *

Author's notes: Because I haven't updated in awhile, I decided to post two chapters at the same time. Nothing really much to say here.

See ya next time.


	37. Chapter 33

Chapter thirty three- Together, we are the broken ones

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Warning: Swear words were sprinkled in this chapter

* * *

Naruto sighed for the fifteenth time and Takao growled under his breath. After the Leader's startling revelation, the first trial of their alleged partnership had begun. Takao, who decided that he wanted to nap, led Naruto to a sunny patch in the bamboo trees, far away from the crowded clearing. He opened his eyes and looked at the human who was already bored. Humph. It wasn't his fault that the idiot had the attention span of a child. He closed his eyes again, but he couldn't help but reopen them once more, as Naruto started to hum. "What is that song?" he found himself asking.

"It's something my grandfather sang to me when I couldn't sleep" Naruto replied and he could see the curiosity in Takao's eyes. The large tiger grunted when he saw the amusement in Naruto's. He lay back down and in a few minutes, he fell asleep.

* * *

Naruto sighed again and looked at the dead, brown bamboo leaves all around them. Maybe he could take the time and actually try to meditate again. He closed his eyes and crossed his legs like the scroll had directed him to. He was already in a forest, so he found himself visualizing himself standing directly where he was. He steadied his breathing and emptied his mind like the scroll suggested. The lukewarm rays patted his skin and a stationary silence layered the air around him, effectively drawing him into a lull.

Then, he felt like something was wrenching at his psyche and before he knew it, he was in that dark, water logged place with golden walls. Those black waters soaked into his trench coat and his pants as he stood motionless for awhile, afraid to even breathe. Those red eyes were somewhere down the hall. He gripped onto one of the walls, and he shivered. The wall was even colder than the water itself.

" _ **Naruto**_ _"_ a voice cried out from the darkness, and the unknown specter was back. He was going to run, like he did last time, when something grabbed his hair. He yelped and he felt with a dreadful desperation, as whatever it was, dragged him, face first into the water. The thing was trying to drown him. Water seeped into his nose, his eyes, his ears, in every nook and crevice on his face. He spluttered violently, but no matter what he did, the thing kept pushing him under. _"_ _ **You're so pathetic, Naruto. Always crying and playing the victim. You want people to feel sorry for you, right?"**_ the thing hissed, with a low guttural voice. Naruto screamed but that only helped the water to enter his lungs even faster. The loss of oxygen made his head light. " _ **But deep within your little weak heart, you want to hurt them like they've hurt you. I know it, I can see it. That's why you're so scared, so wary of the people around you. You've got darkness in you and it has nothing to do with the Kyubi**_ _"_ it continued. Naruto knew that he was losing himself to the watery death, when the thing's grip loosened. With a low pant, and gurgle, Naruto could breathe again. But this time, he was back in the bamboo forest with Takao, the tiger was gaping at his wet clothes. Naruto couldn't say anything, as he coughed up what felt like gallons of water.

* * *

Takao watched the human as he threw up. He couldn't believe it. One minute, he was blissfully asleep, when the next thing he knew, he heard something like a gargle. He immediately woke up, only to see Naruto with his head face down on the ground. "What the hell are you doing?" Takao growled but the hostility vanished, as he sniffed the air. When he looked at Naruto's clothes, they were soaking wet. What the hell? He got closer, to see that the human was actually drowning, like there was water around them. He nudged the blonde but no matter what he did, he wouldn't wake up. Even though he would never admit it, he was getting worried. "Naruto, get the hell up!" he shouted and with that, whatever spell the blonde was under, broke.

* * *

No one said a thing, even after Naruto had managed to get all the water out of his system. He was shivering, not from the cold but from fright. What happened to him? Where was that place? _The seal_ , a voice offered up and he hugged himself tighter. So if that was the seal, why was something trying to kill him? Was it the Kyubi? _No_ , the voice added again and he frowned. What the fuck was happening to him? Was he going mad now? He asked himself. However unlike before, the voice didn't offer up any words of wisdom so he let it go. He didn't even register when Takao dropped himself behind him. Naruto was going to say something when the tiger stopped him. "Just shut up" Takao barked and pulled the blonde closer to his side. The warmth of the beating heart, seemed to calm his nerves, but the anxiety wouldn't leave him. Whatever was in the seal, had tried to kill him. Flat out, kill him and the thing nearly succeeded. He wanted to cry, when he remembered what the thing had told him. He gnawed at his lower lip and held in the tears. "Oi, you okay?" Takao asked and Naruto just nodded. Naruto drew his knees to his chest, and allowed the rays to dry him up. "What the hell happened?" Takao asked but Naruto wouldn't even look at him.

"Just forget it" Naruto whispered, as broken as he felt. Takao knew when someone wanted to keep their own personal stuff to themselves, so he dropped it. What if that thing attacks me when I'm alone or asleep? Why was it getting much more violent? Naruto whispered to himself, and at the prospect, he found himself thinking that he would never go back to sleep again.

"What do we have here?" a gruff voice asked and they turned to the two tigers that approached them. Naruto felt when Takao stiffened but didn't comment. "Since when do you take to humans, Takao?" the tiger asked, with such maliciousness that Naruto knew was directed at the tiger behind him. Takao drew away from Naruto, and the blonde could see the shame in his eyes, when they looked at each other.

"Why are you here, Hiro?" Takao asked the tiger who just smirked as they get closer to them.

"We heard from the Leader about your partnership with the new summoner" the newly dubbed Hiro said. "Nice to meet you, Naruto-kun" the tiger added with fake enthusiasm and kindness. Naruto had seen so much of that in his short span of life that he could recognize it from a mile away.

"Same" Naruto replied nonetheless, like he had always done, though he wore a practiced calm look on his face that seemed to surprise Takao.

"I have to say, Naruto-kun. You've got some rotten luck, being partnered up with someone like Takao" Hiro said and his friend smirked in return. Takao growled but remained where he was. Naruto shot Hiro a look as blank as his face.

"Hiro's right. Takao is broken" the friend said and for a spilt second, Naruto's mask broke, just enough to reveal something akin to shock.

"Shut the fuck up" Takao hissed and Naruto could feel the palpable hurt from the tiger who seemed to be wounded by the assault of words. Hiro laughed, and Naruto's gaze turned hard. Hiro reminded him of the villagers in Konoha.

"You're partners now, Takao. Naruto-kun should know about your past. About what happened so many years ago" Hiro said his voice as ugly as the expression on his face.

"Actually, if he doesn't want me to know, I'm fine with that" Naruto said and now, it was Hiro's turn to be surprised. "We all have our secrets that we want to keep buried" he added and Takao glanced at him.

"Oh, is that so?" Hiro asked, with his malice turned to Naruto. "It's seems like you two are a perfect pair then" he added, the words unspoken hung in the air. _**After all, those who are broken belong together**. _ Hiro laughed and with that, the two tigers left.

* * *

Takao sat back down, the anger had already left his veins. He looked at the human who sat far away from him, trying to dry himself. "You didn't have to back me up" Takao said but Naruto didn't respond.

"I didn't do it for you" the blonde finally said, when he could make sense of his thoughts once more. "I did it for me" he added.

"Because you want to keep your own secrets hidden" Takao spoke and Naruto just nodded.

"My problems are my own" Naruto said and Takao couldn't help but look at the boy. For a minute, he could see what his mother saw, when he told her the same thing. A broken shell.

"That's fine with me" Takao said and they sat like that for awhile, until he broke it. "So how are we going to pass this first trail?" he asked.

"I don't know" Naruto confessed and looked at some of the bamboos swaying in the wind.

"I'm sorry" Takao said and Naruto looked at him with a detached expression, something that rattled something inside the tiger.

"For what?" he asked, still thinking about the thing. Was it inside the seal right now? He questioned. It was more than scary to find out, that was there was something lurking about, ready to kill you without a notice.

"For saying those mean things at you in the dojo" Takao said and Naruto found himself, snapping out of the haziness.

"Oh" was all the blonde could muster. "I'm sorry too" he added and Takao just grunted at him.

"Kami, we're crappy at this whole bonding thing, huh?" Takao commented, after another silence drifted between the two. Naruto snorted.

"More than crappy" Naruto said and blinked when Takao chuckled. "Huh" he added and Takao narrowed his eyes at him.

"Huh, what?" Takao asked with every ounce of hostility he felt.

"That was the first time, you weren't ready to bite my head off" Naruto said and Takao just looked away.

"It's not easy, especially when you're so obnoxious" Takao said but Naruto just flipped his middle finger in the air. Takao smirked at him.

"Whatever, it's not you're a rose yourself" Naruto said with a smile on his face. Takao didn't even react to his comment with his usual resentment. He just chuckled. Maybe it wouldn't be too bad, the both thought in that moment.

* * *

The next chapter: Land of Waves and how Naruto deals with the deadly presence in his mind.


	38. Chapter 34

Chapter thirty four – Their first C-ranked mission

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto

Quick side note: I managed to finish this chapter earlier than expected and decided to update it. Enjoy

* * *

It had been days since he last slept. Since he came back to his own world, the experience in the world of the tigers scared him too much. So for the past three days, he drank bitter cups of coffee and energy drinks just so he could stay awake. And it had worked, thus far anyway. However that vicious voice in his mind, kept nagging him. _**You have to sleep sometime**_ , the voice told him but he snapped at it, like the madman he felt he was becoming. He grew anxious and on edge, every time his eyes so much as drooped close. That thing was waiting for him. He knew it, and the voice in his mind knew it too. Fuck, I'm going crazy, he swore as he paced around his room. He glanced at his clock and knew that he had to meet with his team in ten minutes. He gulped down the now cold, coffee and he winced at the taste. He threw away the cup in the already full trashcan. He pulled the hood over his head, trying to hide the black circles under his eyes. But the exhaustion could be seen in his body and even in the way he walked. He glanced at his bed, and he wanted, more than ramen itself, to lay down on it, without worrying about that nameless thing ready to kill him. _Meeting idiot_ , the other voice called out and with a 'Fuck, I know', he walked to the door. "I really am losing it" he whispered aloud and left.

* * *

Kakashi watched his last student as they walked to the Hokage tower. He had noticed over the few days that Naruto had gotten sloppier, not only in his training but in his movements on a whole. For instance, right now, instead of walking, he was merely swaying side to side. Unlike before, when the three engaged in little conversation, no matter how strained it was, this time it was different. Usually Sasuke was the snappy one, but Naruto seemed to have taken over for him. Sakura was the first one to bear witness to the cranky blonde and she didn't take to well to it either. In fact, she ran off, crying her eyes out. And Kakashi couldn't blame her. The boy was quite savage when he wanted to be. Even now, she was wary around the blonde, and Sasuke was just as apathetic as ever. Though Kakashi could see that he was worried, the pale boy was too prideful to voice his concerns.

As they stood in front of both the Hokage and Iruka, the two shot him a wary glance. They knew as well. Something was up with the blonde and it was not good. As Iruka called out the D-ranked missions, Kakashi frowned behind his mask. He needed to get his team to bond and he needed the blonde to trust him, like he did with Anko, so he said with that lazy voice of his "Hokage-sama, I would kindly like to request a C-rank mission". Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare at him.

"A C-ranked mission, Kakashi-kun?" the Hokage asked, though his eyes were on his grandson, who had sat down with his legs crossed.

"Yes, Hokage-sama. I feel like my team is more than ready for something of that difficulty" he said, added a little decorum for some good measure. Iruka was ready to shoot him down when the Hokage placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Very well, Kakashi-kun. If you feel that way, why refuse you?" he asked and chuckled at the enthusiasm that Sakura and Sasuke exuded. However, Naruto was quite the opposite. He was still, like he had fallen asleep.

* * *

Shit. Was all Naruto could think as he was back in the water again. Without even waiting for the voice, he ran like crazy. He could hear it coming. " _ **Once a coward, always a coward, eh Naruto?!**_ _"_ the voice screamed out, but he didn't care. He raced down the hall, without even thinking about those red eyes, until they were on him. Fuck it. He was cornered.

 **"YOU HUMANS ARE ALWAYS SO AMUSING"** a deep voice called out and Naruto backed up against the wall. **"YOU WON'T LAST LONG IF YOU'RE SCARED ALL THE TIME"** the voice said and before he could decipher what the voice meant, he was back in the Hokage tower. At least he didn't meet up with the other thing. But what was that other voice and those accompanying red eyes?

* * *

"Naruto?" the Hokage said, and Naruto looked at him. "Are you okay?" he asked, and even his team mates were looking at him with a wary concern.

"Yeah, fine" he lied and stood up. He looked at the strange, plump man who smelled of sake. "Who the hell is that?" he asked and the man frowned at him.

* * *

"Naruto, let's take a walk" the Hokage suddenly announced, leaving Iruka slack jawed. Even his team mates looked at the robed man with surprise as he approached them. Naruto, however, took a step back. The Hokage knew the boy would try to get out of it, so he placed his hand on Naruto's shoulders. "Well, let's go" the man said, basically dragging the boy out of the room. Once they were out on the streets, he finally let go. "So, are you going to tell me what's going on?" he asked. Naruto kept his eyes on the ground. Should he tell him? He opened his mouth, when the thing's words mocked him. _**Coward,**_ it hissed at him.

"Nothing's going on" he lied, and he knew the Hokage could read him like an open book. "I've just been stressed out a little, you know?" he added.

"Have you been meditating?" the Hokage asked and Naruto could almost remember what happened the last time he tried. Too vivid, he thought, and unconsciously, his hand reached to his throat. "Naruto, you know you can come to me with whatever's happening, right? I'm your grandfather, you can trust me" he added, and stopped in the middle of the road. Some of the villagers were going to greet him, when they noticed the stern mask he wore and who he was talking to. They may not like the blonde, but they knew the Hokage did, so they steered clear of whatever conversation was taking place. He wanted to tell the Hokage, but if he did, their C-ranked mission would have to be put on hold and he didn't think that his team mates would ever forgive him for that.

"I'm fine" he said and the Hokage frowned. "I promise" he breathed out and reached out for the aged leader. The Hokage's frown deepened at the boy's cold hand.

"Okay" the Hokage said, though he clearly didn't believe him. But he knew that Naruto was strong, much stronger than he had been a year ago, so he would leave him to settle whatever was happening to him on his own, for now, that is. "Let's go tell Ami-san and Riku the news" he said, and Naruto almost didn't remember the C-ranked mission.

"Yeah" Naruto said, and they walked down the street.

* * *

"Okay, gaki. What the hell is going on?" Anko asked, as they stood in the Forest of Death. She was planning to help him finish up his training but decided against it, when she felt the stink of exhaustion covering him. They hadn't gotten much training, since he became a genin in that pervert, Hatake's team.

"Nothing" he said and she frowned. "I'm fine, okay?" he asked, irritation in his voice at her narrowed eyes.

"Why do you always feel the need to take on the world on your own?" she asked and her question made his eyes widen. "Of course I know, because I was the same way, still am but not as bad as I was" she added, placing her hands on her hips.

"I can handle this on my own" Naruto said, but she just pulled off his hood. Her eyes widened at the black circles. Feeling self conscious, he returned the hood to its original place.

"You're not going on that C-rank mission" Anko said; ready to report to the Hokage, when he stopped her.

"I can't let my team mates down. I can't take this away for them" Naruto said and she pulled away from his grip.

"This is not for them. They're just an excuse" Anko spat at him and he stepped back like he was slapped. "You're refusing our help because you think that if we get to see the real you, we may abandon you, like some already have" she added.

"You're wrong!" he shouted at her and she just stood her ground. "You don't know anything" he added and turned to walk away.

"I don't know anything? What kind of bull shit is that?!" she shouted at him, and he turned to her. "How do you even think I know all this? You think it's just an educated guess? Of course not! I know because of my own personal experiences, Naruto!" she shouted and he looked away, ashamed at himself, angry at everything and scared. "Go ahead. Die on your first C-ranked like most genin do. I don't care anymore" she snorted and with that, she left. Tears prickled at his eyes, but he kept them in. He was not a coward. But why did he feel like one?

* * *

The next day, feeling worse than he did before, he met up with his team. The bridge builder, Tazuna looked at him wearily. "Morning" he mumbled and leaned up against the wall.

"You're late dobe" Sasuke said, but Naruto didn't answer. "Are you sleeping again?" he bristled. Before Naruto could answer, Kakashi appeared.

"Alright, my cute genin, let's get this show on the road" He said, and glanced over at Naruto who pushed himself off the wall. With a nod to him, they finally set off.

* * *

Naruto felt like there were two shackles pulling at his feet as he walked. They had already left Konoha for what seemed like days, when in fact it was only hours. They were walking at civilian pace, for Tazuna of course, and someone had yet to say something. Kakashi was reading his porn, Sakura kept looking around; expecting some unknown enemy to show up, Sasuke was on guard as well and Tazuna was happily sipping his sake. _**That was when shit went down**_.

Like the other two genin, he was blissfully unaware of the two Mizu chunin hiding in the puddle, _until_ he was in closer range. He could hear it, their chakra that is. He didn't know how, but their chakra made the sound of buzzing bees, if that made any sense at all. He glanced at Sasuke and Sakura, but both hadn't heard what he had. He looked at Kakashi who seemed as oblivious to the world outside his porn as always. Before he could make a decision, a chain shot out of the puddle. They watched with mutual horror, as it wrapped around Kakashi, effectively shredding him to bloody pieces. Sakura released a high pitched scream and Sasuke went green in the face. Naruto wasn't doing any better. With his fatigue coupled with this new grisliness, he was ready to kneel over, regardless of the phantom in his mind. He doubled over, panting from the overload of his body. It was too run down for him to do any sort of fighting. That was why, when the two enemies turned on him, he didn't have the energy to defend himself.

However, he was surprised when Sasuke intervened with a kunai and shuriken of his own. He had saved him. He watched his team mate as he fended the Mizu chunin off with a kick. Yet that was not enough. With a loud 'click!' they detached the chains, and the two darted in different directions. One was intent on killing Naruto, the other Tazuna. Sakura, who had snapped out of her fright, drew her kunai and stepped in front of the bridge builder. She would protect their client, she shouted in her mind, but her hands were telling a different story with their trembling. Thankfully, that was when Kakashi appeared and with swift movements, he knocked the two nin unconscious.

"Are you okay, Naruto?" he asked, slightly disappointed that the boy froze up. The blonde walked over to a near by tree, and sat down.

"Hn, I didn't know you were such a scaredy cat, dobe" Sasuke commented but stopped when he saw the blood flowing from the blonde's hand. Sakura rushed over to him.

"Kami, Naruto" she shouted and quickly grabbed her medical kit in her bag. However he pushed her away from him. He could see the hurt on her face. _**Good going, Naruto. You're on a roll here.**_ _**How much more people are you going to upset?**_ The voice sarcastically asked.

"Shut the f..." he was saying when all eyes were on him. "I'm fine" he said and Kakashi frowned. "Why was there shinobi after you?" he asked Tazuna, wanting the attention off of him for awhile. Thankfully, they all turned to the drunken bridge builder, who was now very sober.

"Ah, well you see" he said, and started on some sob story that Naruto didn't care to listen to. He had his own set of problems to get rid of, and he looked at his now healed hand. That would cost him chakra, which was the only thing that kept him energized enough to go without sleep. Shit. He couldn't afford to fall asleep. Not now.

* * *

"I vote we go" Sasuke said, and he snapped out of his thoughts. "He's our client and I won't back down" he added. Kakashi turned to Sakura.

"We should go back to Konoha" she said and Sasuke couldn't keep the stunned expression on his face. If it was anyone, he was counting on Sakura to back him up. "What if we meet more shinobi out there? Stronger than them?" she asked, pointing at the now tied up shinobi who sneered at them. Kakashi finally turned to Naruto.

"It comes down to you, Naruto" Kakashi said, and Tazuna shot him the best sad face he could put on.

"We go" Naruto said and Sakura deflated. "We've made it here thus far, let's just keep going" he added and stood up.

"For once, you were useful, dobe" Sasuke said but Naruto wasn't listening. He had wobbled, when no one was looking and it was more alarming than the presence in his mind.

"Alright, let's go then. To the land of Waves" Kakashi said, and once more, they headed out.

* * *

A/N: Naruto was more angsty in this chapter, huh? Yeah, lack of sleep and fear tends to do that to us humans. I can safely assume that would turn even the happiest person grumpy, so Naruto was no exception.

Oh, also, I bet you all noticed the lack of oath and kunai to the hand in Naruto's case. I know it's rather important for canon universe, but I didn't feel like it was for my story. You see, in canon, Naruto actually froze up, but in this story, he was just too tired to do anything. Yeah, he would feel pretty shitty in both situations, but unlike the original, he knew he couldn't afford to waste anymore chakra by doing something like stabbing his hand.

Finally, I always read in fanfictions that people could FEEL chakra, but I thought, hey…what if they could hear it? O.o Like each person has a unique sound to their chakra. Is that even plausible? Meh, well….I don't know.

Thanks goes out to the last reviewer. Your words both warmed and motivated me.


	39. Chapter 35

Chapter thirty five- The assassin of the Mist

Disclaimer: Fill in the blanks

To the LordGhostStriker: \O/ Good point. It can be plausible.

* * *

The mist was so thick; you could probably cut it with a kunai. Sakura almost smirked at the thought, but the tension that surrounded her team mates, caused the gesture to shrivel up and die. She sighed and glanced at Sasuke. Since they found out that there were potential shinobi out there, willing to kill Tazuna, she could see the excitement in him. Of course he would be excited. He was fairly skilled, which was seen in his ability to fend off the previous Mizu chunin. If she knew Sasuke, and she did, she knew that he wanted to test his **skills** and what better than enemy shinobi? She frowned at the thought.

Then she turned to the team mate that was truly bothering her and that was Naruto. Even with her limited medical knowledge, she could tell that he was tired. Scratch that, she knew that he was tired. The question was: why? When she had felt his hand, they were cold and almost as shaky as hers, when those shinobi attacked. What had he been doing to tire himself out so much? She wanted to confront both the blonde and their sensei, but she felt like she would be encroaching in uncharted territory. She knew that the blonde hadn't told anyone about what was going on, and he certainly wouldn't like it if Sakura told Kakashi-sensei. But still... **"He's hurting! Didn't we vow that we could protect our comrades?"** Inner Sakura shouted and Sakura quietened her down. "We have to get to Tazuna-san's house first and then we'll think about it" Sakura thought and she focused on the large bridge that came into view. "Amazing" she breathed out and the oarsman glared at her. Embarrassed, she shrank into her seat.

"So, Tazuna-san, who exactly is after you?" Kakashi asked, and gone was his little porn book. At the man's hesitation, Kakashi added "If you don't tell us, we're off of this mission". The bridge builder tensed, and then relented.

"Have you ever heard of a man by the name Gato?" Tazuna asked, and at the name, a chill entered the air. When they shook their heads, he continued "He's a dangerous and wealthy business man here in the Land of Waves. He's the kind of man that takes what he wants, and he uses illegal means to do it, like hiring those shinobi. With this bridge, my bridge, it will interfere with his shipping monopoly, and of course he wouldn't like that, so he wants to kill me". Sakura gripped her dress. "The reason I lied was because I'm poor, and so is the Land of Waves. So please, I beg you, help me" he pleaded and Sakura felt her heart go out to the man.

"Fine, we'll help you and the Land of Waves" Kakashi said flippantly and Sakura broke out in a smile. Maybe her sensei was more than a porn addicted, lazy pervert. _Maybe_...

* * *

When they disembarked on land, Team seven and their client, Tazuna was tense. As they started walking, they were already in formation, ready for whatever was lurking in that thick mist. That was when Kakashi and Naruto sensed it, a mild chakra signature from one of the nearby bushes. Though for Naruto the chakra felt nasty and even worse, to him, it seemed to mimic the sound of fingernails scratching against a chalkboard.

He glanced at his teacher who looked at him, mildly surprised that Naruto had felt it as well. However, the surprise wore off, as Kakashi shouted "Get down!" They all dropped to the ground and just in time too. A large sword sliced through the air, before stopping, as it dug into one of the near by trees. The chuckle caused Naruto to wobble again. It was almost as sinister as the presence in his mind. They turned, only to see a shirtless man standing on the sword.

"Momochi Zabuza" Kakashi whispered and the man, laughed through his bandaged mouth. "Everyone, stay back" he said, and Sasuke scowled at him. "You can't win if you all fight him. He's Momochi Zabuza, missing Nin from the Hidden village of Mist" he added and now, the fear they felt tripled. Kakashi's hand slowly went to the head band covering his eye and Zabuza chuckled.

"Sharingan Kakashi" Zabuza said with a wicked amusement. "It's an honor" he extended. Sasuke clenched his fists and glared at Kakashi who could feel his confusion.

"Protect Tazuna!" Kakashi shouted at his genin who immediately take their formation around the man. "No matter what, do not interfere in this fight" he added and with that, he lifted the headband to reveal the Sharingan to the world.

"What is that?" Sakura whispered, awed and a little scared at her teacher's revealed eye with three dots in it.

"The Sharingan" Sasuke breathed out, and she turned her head to him but he was focused on Kakashi. "It's a doujutsu that can see through all Ninjutsu, taijutsu and genjutsu" he whispered. Something only members of my clan should have, he added in his mind. Zabuza smirked under his bandages.

"And it can also copy the enemy's movements, which earned Kakashi the name, Copy cat. He's supposedly copied 1000 jutsu" Zabuza said and Sasuke's narrowed accusingly at the silver haired man. "Now, Sharingan Kakashi, show me what your eye can do" he whispered and just like that, the battle had begun.

* * *

Zabuza, now standing on the pond, quickly went through his hand seals, faster than the genin present could follow. He stopped and annotated "Kirigakure no jutsu". They watched as the mist gathered, thicker than before and scattered all around them even more. The shirtless Zabuza disappeared, though they could hear his voice coming from all sides.

"What's going on? How did he just vanish?" Sakura whispered, afraid that the man might hear her.

"He was part of the Anbu squad back in the Hidden village of Mist" Kakashi said, as his genin tried but failed to find the man. "He's a master in the art of silent killing" he added and Sakura felt when her knees knocked together. "It's just like it suggests. Before you know it, death happens in an instant, without so much of a sound or a warning" he said.

Soon enough, Kakashi had faded away in the fog, leaving the three genin to protect the client. Naruto, who was just as bad as the other three, could feel the thing edging its way again. He could feel it...hovering, ready to snatch him into the confines of his mind, ready to get the deed done. _Stay focused._...the other voice in his mind reminded him, and he gripped onto his kunai tighter.

* * *

" _ **Larynx, spine, lungs, liver, jugular, subclavian artery, kidneys, heart"**_ the man's voice lingered from all directions. " _ **Which shall be my kill point?**_ " the voice whispered, promising death.

* * *

Sasuke's face distorted as the earth seemed to open up right beneath his feet. **No**... it was just like _that_ night... **The red**...it was back... He gripped onto his hair and as his kunai fell to the ground, he didn't even notice that his team mates were looking at him. **No.**...! Kami, no!...I can't do this...I have to... was all he thought frantically as he grabbed up the kunai. He poised it at his throat, when his teacher's voice grabbed him from the fog that had clouded his mind.

"Sasuke" Kakashi spoke up. He knew what the boy was thinking, and he finally understood how broken Itachi had left him. "I WILL protect you, all of you" he said with so much conviction, that Sasuke felt the red retreating. Yes, he was safe...Right?

Naruto, who had seen the exchange, glanced at Sakura who was just as taken aback. What the hell just happened to Sasuke?

"Sasuke-kun" Sakura whispered, and she wanted to reach out to him, but she stopped herself. What she just saw, it wasn't the Rookie of the Year. It was someone weaker...Who was that? What happened to the boy that it left him so... _damaged_?

* * *

"I don't think so, Hatake Kakashi" the man whispered, and they froze. Zabuza had made his way inside of their formation, right in front of the old man. Kakashi spun around, sharingan flashing. The genin jumped out of the way, as Kakashi emerged in front of Zabuza and they watched their teacher as he drove the kunai in the man's exposed stomach. Sakura grimaced, expecting to see blood, only to watch as water poured out.

"Wha...?" she was saying, when another Zabuza dashed towards Kakashi, from behind. "Sensei, behind you!" she shouted, and they all watched in distress, as Zabuza's sword hacked the silver haired man in two. Before she could scream, she noticed that his 'body' had evaporated into water...

"Mizu bunshin" Zabuza whispered, as he felt a kunai directed at his throat. Water clone? The genin thought.

"You're finished" Kakashi whispered, and Sakura couldn't help it, she sighed in relief. However, before she could do a little mental victory dance, Zabuza chuckled.

"I'll never be defeated by the likes of you, Hatake Kakashi" Zabuza said, lifting his head, as Kakashi's kunai dug deeper into his exposed throat. "Not by a mere copy cat" he whispered and said copy cat's eyes narrowed. "Though I have to admit, you're full of surprises. You used that little mini speech of yours to distract me while you hid in the mist. Pretty clever, Hatake" he added. Kakashi felt it. The Zabuza in front of him was another Mizu bunshin. With a quick stab, the water clone was destroyed. He ducked under the large sword as the real Zabuza engaged him in a fight. Without waiting for Kakashi to retaliate, he switched hands and grabbed the handle of his sword. "Nice try" Zabuza chuckled and swung his sword towards the silver haired man who landed in the water. Kakashi's eyes widened as Zabuza appeared in front of him, his hands already set with hand seals. "Suiron no jutsu" the missing nin spoke, and with that, Kakashi was trapped in the water prison.

* * *

"So much for the great Hatake Kakashi" Zabuza smugly commented. His eyes bore into the genin, who he knew were scared. "If he was easily defeated, what do you all think your chances are?" he roused. With a single hand seal, he created another water clone. He would kill the brats for fun.

"Take Tazuna and run!" Kakashi shouted from his watery jail. "The water clones can't survive far from the real body, so if you run now, you can survive! He won't risk, letting me out of this jutsu, so run!" he shouted, but surprisingly, Sasuke was the one who stood his ground.

"No matter what we do, he'll come after us. If we plan to survive this, we have to rescue you" Sasuke shouted, and Kakashi watched as the boy rushed towards Zabuza.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura whispered, and Inner Sakura screamed her lungs out. _"_ **That baka! If sensei couldn't defeat him, what makes him think that he could?!"** Inner Sakura shouted. "Sasuke-kun" the pink haired girl screeched as Zabuza grabbed Sasuke by the throat. She moved forward, but a hand stopped her. It was Naruto. "Naruto, what are you..." she was saying when she stopped herself. His body was quivering.

* * *

That idiot...Naruto thought, as he watched Sasuke as he struggled in Zabuza's hold. Why would he just rush in like that? Didn't he know that...when the voice in the back of his mind, stopped him. _"He isn't an idiot. He's brave, and once, you were the same"_ the other voice informed him. Naruto gnashed his teeth at the comment. "What do you mean once?" he thought, and a light hearted giggle made it worse. _"Do you remember when you fought Anko-sensei? Even when you knew that you shouldn't fight, you still fought. It was the same thing with Lee"_ the voice said and he clenched his hand. " _You're letting fear control you. You're being a coward_ " the voice added and Naruto felt like he wanted to punch the voice in the face. If it had a face... _"Did you forget that you've been fighting all your life? Before you met Riku-san and Ami-chan? Not once, in those days, did you give up. Not when you felt lonely, or sad. Not when those villagers tried to ambush you, not when they called you names, not when you couldn't even get a cake for your birthday or even a present. Do you know why? Because you were brave, despite everything around you. That's what makes you, Uzumaki Naruto and you shouldn't let something like that thing in your mind stop you from being, YOU"_ the voice said and Naruto's hands dropped to his sides. Those words...

* * *

Before he could think, he felt when something appeared in front of both him and Sakura. Without thinking, he pushed the girl out of the way, as a hand slapped him harshly. He was thrown to the ground, just like Sasuke a few moments ago. He felt the hood of his coat fall and the headband was now under Zabuza's feet. He heard when Sakura sharply gasped at the bags under his eyes. Even Sasuke, Kakashi and Tazuna were surprised. But Naruto weren't worried about them. He was focused on the headband. "I've worked so hard to get that, to become a genin" he thought. He remembered all the nights he spent in the Forest of Death, working without a single break to get to the top of the tree, so he could be able to make three bunshin. He remembered all the times when he got his ass handed to him and the feeling of weakness that came with being defeated. He remembered Anko-sensei who had taken her time and effort, just so she could help him out. He thought about Ami and Riku. If he couldn't be brave and if he died here, what would become of them? How could he protect them if he was a coward? Then he thought about Iruka-sensei who had stepped in front of him that night, ready and willing to protect him from Mizuki. He thought about the Hokage, and about Tenten as well as Lee, who all believed in him. He would not let them down. So he stood. "I am no coward" he said, and Zabuza just laughed. "Kage no bunshin" he spoke, and with three puffs of smoke, Umi, Kaze and an unnamed clone appeared.

"'Sup" Umi said with a wave, but when he saw Naruto's serious face, the jovial expression slipped off his face.

"We're going to retrieve that headband" Naruto said, and Zabuza just looked at him. He glanced at his clones. "You know what I'm thinking right?" he asked, and they smirked at him.

"Of course we do, boss. We're you, remember?" Kaze said, and they each took out a kunai.

"Let's go!" Naruto shouted, and they dashed towards Zabuza who was impressed with his speed. "Now!" he added, and they watched on in shock as the three Naruto threw smoke bombs on the ground. The white smoke and the light mist added to the invisibility that cloaked Naruto. While no one could see them, Naruto made one more clone and his plan was already in motion. Zabuza and Kakashi who felt the little burst of chakra tensed. Zabuza's clone prepared itself as the three burst through the smoke, before sprinting towards him. Two dashed in front of him, and thinking that the third that went for the headband was the original, he ruthlessly kicked the blonde. **Only for it disappear in a puff**. "Heh" he heard and with wide eyes, he watched as the first blonde took up the cursed headband.

"Not so fast!" he shouted. He punched the blonde, only for the bothersome boy to throw it to the other one who was now sitting at the side of the pink haired girl. The blonde he punched disappeared in a puff of smoke. It was another one of those fucking shadow clones. Somehow, when he couldn't see the brat, he had shuffled around his clones to the point that they couldn't differentiate who the original was. Kakashi chuckled. He knew that trick, after all Naruto had tried that same thing during his test. He had to admit, the boy was a true prankster.

* * *

"You underestimated me" Naruto said, and Sakura stared at him with awe in her eyes. Even Tazuna held respect for him as he tied the headband on his head. However...Naruto knew that he only had a few minutes before his body completely ran out of chakra and shut down. "Sasuke!" he shouted and the boy, who was staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face, arched an eyebrow. "Catch" he said, throwing a fuma shuriken at him.

"Impressive" Sasuke said with a smirk on his face. Naruto just raised his middle finger in the air.

"You know what the plan is, right?" Naruto asked, as Sasuke appeared beside him. Sasuke just chuckled.

"I'm not dense as you are dobe" he said, and Naruto just glanced at Sakura who was slightly shaking.

"Take care of Tazuna, Sakura" Naruto said, and with a slight nod, she stood in front of the man. "You ready, teme?" he asked, and Sasuke 'hnned'. "I'll take that as bastard for yes" he added. They both shot forward, and broke apart. The Zabuza clone went for Naruto first, who ducked under his kick. While Naruto had him preoccupied, Sasuke threw the fuma shuriken at the original, which he jumped over.

"How weak" Zabuza said and glanced at his own clone who had slammed his kunai in the brat's stomach. "Good riddance" he added.

"Naruto!" three people shouted, but just like Zabuza, they were surprised when the boy popped.

"Fuc..." clone Zabuza shouted, and they all watched as the fuma shuriken that original Zabuza avoided, turned into Naruto.

"Nice try" the boy said, returning the same smugness that Zabuza exuded, as he soared through the air. He threw a kunai at the man's hand. Zabuza gritted his teeth, and reluctantly, he let go.

* * *

Zabuza, who was beyond pissed, was ready to chop the brat to pieces, when Kakashi stopped him. "Your fight is with me" Kakashi said, killing intent thick in the air.

"Sasuke-kun, Naruto hasn't come up as yet!" Sakura shouted and Sasuke looked at the river.

"Shit!" he shouted and without thinking, he dashed towards the water. However, Zabuza's clone stood in front of him, blocking his path.

"Sasuke-kun" he heard someone say, and when he looked at his side, he saw Sakura standing in her defensive stance. "Go after Naruto" she said, and he arched an eyebrow. He was going to comment, when she shouted "Just go!" He smirked and dove into the water.

"So, girlie, you think you can take me?" the clone asked with a smirk. She placed the kunai between her teeth.

"I'm part of Team 7 too!" she shouted with the kunai in her mouth, and with the gathered chakra in her leg, she stamped it down on the floor. The clone, surprised at such a move, jumped out of the way. Large cracks zipped through the earth before chunks of dirt and rock started to collapse on each other as the bank gave away. Water sprayed towards the sky like a geyser, and using that as a distraction, she grabbed him by the hand before directing him out of the way. She watched as Sasuke emerged with a now unconscious Naruto. He swam towards them, only for some sort of water dragons to crash down on them. "Sasuke-kun! Naruto!" she hollered, but Sasuke had somehow managed to get them both on land. Naruto coughed up water and Sasuke knocked him on the forehead.

"You're such a dobe" he said, and then looked at Sakura. "Good going" he added and despite the situation, she blushed.

* * *

Zabuza stood opposite from Kakashi. Both were in the exact position of the other. "He is doing exactly everything I do. Why is he able to copy my every move exactly?" he thought as he looked at the silver haired man. Without warning, a large water vortex crashed down on him. "I was going to create that jutsu, but Kakashi beat me to it. How is that possible?" he thought, and he felt when two shuriken embedded themselves in his arms, binding him to the tree. He looked up at the man, with his Sharingan staring at him. "Can you see the future?" he whispered, and Kakashi took out his kunai.

"Yes, and in yours, all I see is death" Kakashi said, but before he could finish the man off, senbon needles shot into Zabuza. He looked at the masked tracker nin who jumped down.

"Thank you for stopping him" the young boy said, though Kakashi was skeptical with that long hair he had going on. "I've been tracking him for some days now. I've been tasked with the mission of hunting down, one Momochi Zabuza" he added, and Kakashi stooped down.

"No vital signs" he whispered and then stood up. "Let me guess. You're a tracker nin from Mist" he added and the boy bowed to the well-respected silver haired jounin.

"Precisely and Zabuza here, is to be eliminated" the boy said, as he took up the man's body. "Thank you. Rest assured, Momochi Zabuza will be disposed of" he added and with that, he disappeared. Kakashi turned around, and watched his students. Sakura was hovering over Naruto, who was unconscious, and Sasuke looked as tired as he felt.

"Well Tazuna" he addressed the man who turned to look at him. "It looks like you'll have to carry me to your house" he added and with that, he dropped to the ground. Tazuna snorted.

"What the hell. Is that the same man from just moments ago?" Tazuna muttered but walked over to the fallen ninja. At least he was safe. But he wondered: For how long?

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A/n: And thus, Naruto has redeemed himself.

I uploaded this chapter because this story won't be updated until next week :/


	40. Chapter 36

Chapter thirty six- Confessions

Disclaimer: Frostycookies place no claim over the ownership of the anime series, Naruto.

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He felt when the last wisp of his energy bled out of his body, throwing him into the darkness. It felt like a reoccurring nightmare, standing knee deep in the water, waiting and knowing that there was an ominous existence lurking around somewhere. However just as he was back in his body, right then and there, he was dead beat tired. With slow, lazy strides, he waded through the water, continually gripping on the wall, as he made his way towards those large slit eyes, which were watching his every move. **"YOU'RE MAKING THIS SO MUCH EASIER FOR THE BOTH OF US YOU KNOW"** the voice echoed as he leaned against the wall. Yeah, the thing behind those gates gave off just as much as an evil presence, but he was reassured that it couldn't hurt him. Not when it was locked away.

"What is it? And what are you?" Naruto gasped, as he slid down the wall and into the water. He could hear the thing coming.

 **"I THINK YOU KNOW WHAT I AM AND WHAT THAT OTHER THING IS"** The voice replied with an almost bored tone.

"You're the Kyubi, aren't you?" Naruto asked and the darkness receded enough, so he could see the outline of a large, very fox like head.

" **I AM"** the fox said and Naruto was a little surprised at how calm the massive beast was. Wasn't he supposed to be made from anger or something? As if reading his thoughts, the fox added **"I'VE LIVED FOR OVER A MILLENNIUM NOW. ONE LEARNS WAYS OF CURBING THEIR ANGER, EVEN IF ONE IS MADE OF IT".** Naruto could see that the fox was lying with his head on his crossed hands.

"But can feel your anger, your hate" Naruto said and the fox who looked at him, with those eyes as red as blood.

" **OF COURSE I'M ANGRY. IF YOU WERE LOCKED AWAY IN THE CONFINES OF SUCH A WET PRISON, WON'T YOU BE?"** the fox asked, and Naruto smiled.

"I would" he confessed and the fox just closed his eyes. He could feel the thing directly in front of him. He refused to look up, afraid of what he might see. Naruto was surprised at the calmness he exuded.

" _ **Why aren't you running**_ _?"_ the thing asked, and the fox snorted at him. _"_ _ **Did I ask you anything, fox**_ _?"_ it snarled.

 **"IDIOT, HE'S TOO TIRED"** the fox said and cracked one eye to look at Naruto's slumped form. The thing grabbed Naruto by the front of his jacket and pulled him to his feet. Those red irises soaked in black glared at him, but Naruto just smirked. The fox chuckled and closed his eye. **"I SEE"** the Kyubi added, almost to himself and went back to sleep. Naruto's feeble hands shot towards the thing, and it hissed, like it was burnt.

"When you've gone up against someone like Zabuza, you don't feel so scary anymore" Naruto said and the thing immediately let go. "And besides, I know what you are" Naruto said, and with defiance, he looked at it, only to see an identical copy of himself, with the exception of the eyes. "How can I be afraid of me?" he asked and the red eyed version of him took a step back, like he was the one now terrified. However, just as the dread came, it left. With pale hands, much paler than his, it grabbed him by his neck.

 _"_ _ **You don't deserve to live. You're a weakling**_ " the evil version hissed, adding more pressure against Naruto's throat. But Naruto's never wavered, not even when, all the air was painfully squeezed from his lungs.

"I...w...on't...l...ose...I...'m...not...a...c...ow...ard" he managed to say, and the evil part of him just loosened the grip which caused his knees to buckle. He fell into the water, as Evil Naruto looked down at him.

 _"_ _ **We'll see how long you can put up this fight**_ _"_ Evil Naruto said, stooping down so they were eye level. " _ **What ever you do, I'll be there, waiting to strike. If you go to sleep, I'll be here, if you even slip up once, I'll grab my chance, and end you. You may not be afraid of me anymore, but that doesn't mean you've win. Quite the contrary, you've just made this game more fun. So be careful, Naruto because I'll snuff you out like the bug you are**_ _"_ he hissed and slithered into the darkness once more. Naruto brought his hands to his throat and looked at the Kyubi who was still, seemingly asleep. The fox may have not been so hostile like the last time, but that didn't mean they were friends now. It was the opposite. Now, he had two things to worry about. That was the last thought he had, before he was returned to the world once more.

* * *

He could feel a nice wind touching his face, as he got up. He glanced around the unfamiliar room, until he realized that he must be in Tazuna's house. He looked out the open wind, and he could see that it was already sun rise. Grabbing his trench coat, he was going to rush out the room, when he got a peep of his face from the mirror. The bags under his eyes were gone. In fact, he wasn't so tired. "At least I got some sleep" he whispered to himself and walked downstairs.

"Morning, sleepy head" Kakashi chirped as soon as he entered the kitchen. Naruto grunted at him, and turned to what seemed like Tazuna's daughter. They were surprised when the blonde genin bowed his head.

"Thank you for opening your home to me" he said and Tsunami smiled at the boy's manners. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, nice to meet ya" he added, taking off the hood, though he wore the bandana still.

"Nice to meet you, Naruto-kun, my name is Tsunami and this is my son, Inari-kun" she said and he turned to the little boy wearing a hat that covered most of his face. The boy glowered at him before stomping past him before going upstairs. She nervously laughed at her son's antics, when her father rose.

"What the hell was that?" he shouted, pointing at Naruto who arched an eyebrow. "The first time we met, you didn't even remember my name!" he added with a huff.

"You weren't really important" Naruto muttered and Tazuna glowered at him, while his daughter laughed.

"You brat, I should kick you out!" he said, though there was a playfulness to his voice. Tsunami bopped him on the head with her wooden spoon and they sweat dropped at the scene.

"How can you even joke about something like that? These honorable shinobi are putting their lives on the line for you and this is how you repay them?" she said and he rubbed his head.

"Ah, sorry, Tsunami-chan" he said with a chuckle and glared at Naruto who was smiling at him. "I outta..." he was saying but stopped himself as Tsunami threatened him with a glare of her own.

"So, my cute genin" Kakashi said, and they turned to him. "Since we're all up, there's something we must discuss" he added, though he was reading his book.

"What is it?" Naruto asked as he sat down. Kakashi looked up and eye smiled at them. "Don't" he hissed, and Kakashi just chuckled.

"Kakashi-sensei, is it important?" Sakura asked, and the silver haired man turned to her with a bored look in his eye. "You pervert, I should..." she thought, as she clenched her fists.

"I would think it's important, since it involves Zabuza" he said, and everyone straightened up at the mention of the man. "He is alive" he added and the spoon fell from Tsunami's hand.

"What?" Tazuna shouted as he stood up. "Didn't you kill him?" he asked, and Kakashi closed his book.

"Sakura, what are tracker or hunter nin?" he asked, and they were rather confused at his train of thought, but the pink haired girl answered anyway.

"They're responsible for hunting down rogue ninja or missing nin. They do this, to make sure that the village secrets that each body of a shinobi possesses, won't be revealed to outsiders" she said and her teacher was rather impressed with her answer.

"Very good" he said, and her smile broadened. "So, tell me, what are they required to do once they have caught their targets?" he asked, and she looked at him with a suspicious look on her face.

"They're required to..." she said, realization slowly slipping on her face. "Destroy the body where it's lying without moving the dead. They should only take the head for proof" she whispered, and they (except Naruto, who wasn't awake at the time) understood the implications of what she was saying. "That masked boy wasn't a hunter nin, was he?!" she shouted, and stood up. "That boy who took Zabuza was a fake and that's why you said that he's alive!" she added, with a nod of her head.

"Bingo!" Kakashi chirped and she sat back down, pleased with herself. "He should've destroyed Zabuza's body right there, on the spot" he added.

"Kakashi-sensei" Sasuke said, and they turned to him. "How can that be? You checked his vital signs, right?" he added, with a clasp of his hands.

"There's a trick to that. Care to tell us, Sakura?" he added, and she rubbed her chin, deep in thought. Then as though the last piece of the puzzle clicked in place, she slapped a fist on her open palm.

"Senbon!" she said, and he nodded. They looked at her, confused as hell. "If someone has thorough knowledge of the human anatomy, they can hit precise points in the body that can place a person in a death like state" she added.

"Ding, ding, ding! Give the girl a prize" Kakashi said and Sakura blushed as she fiddled with her dress.

"Amazing! You're really smart, Sakura-chan" Tsunami said and she got as pink as her hair.

"Hatake-sensei, what do you plan to do?" Naruto asked, and Kakashi wanted to frown. The boy still refused to call him Kakashi-sensei.

"We climb trees ~" he sang and on cue, the three genin groaned at their sensei.

* * *

Naruto stood and barely listened to a thing his teacher said; as he explained to his rather pissed off team mates the purpose of learning to climb trees. He watched with mute interest as the man, crutches and all, used his chakra to walk up the tree. Sakura and even Sasuke were impressed. However, Naruto wasn't. When Kakashi looked at him, he faked enthusiasm, because quite frankly, he didn't want to have to admit, in front of Sakura and Sasuke that he had learnt the exercise already with his real sensei. "Alright, your turn" he said to the three of them. With kunai at their feet, they looked at the trees.

* * *

Kakashi wasn't really surprised when Sakura made it to the top of the tree on the first try. He watched as the girl whooped in delight at her achievement and he wanted to chuckle. Yeah she had small chakra reserves, but it took accurate control to get that far, and he had to admit, he was impressed. He turned to Sasuke who didn't even make it a good ten steps up the tree without being blasted away. He chuckled. Unlike Sakura he had rather large reserves, which was remarkable for a boy so young. He was going to look at Naruto, when someone said "You're right, Sakura. This is not so hard". Kakashi nearly fell to the ground. With widened eyes, he turned to the boy, sitting lazily on the highest branch of the tree. Sasuke boiled as he watched his two team mates.

"Wow, you got it too, Naruto?" Sakura asked, sitting down on her own tree. Naruto nodded and she smiled. "You really..." she was saying when she felt someone staring at them. She looked down and saw a clearly angry Sasuke. Immediately she closed her mouth.

"Huh, so this is all the almighty Uchiha equals to?" Kakashi asked and Sasuke seemed to pummel Kakashi to a pulp with his eyes. "Shame" he added and Sasuke growled. "Well, since you too caught on so fast, unlike a certain Uchiha, I guess that you two should move on to the next step. Water walking!" he said, just so Sasuke could hear.

"Water walking?" Sakura asked, and Kakashi stood up on his branch, holding onto his crouches.

"Yes, now let's go" he said, and they each walked down their tree, something that made Sasuke even more pissed off. As they were walking out of the clearing, Kakashi glanced at the boy. "Good luck, Sasu-chan. You'll need it" he added and as they left, they could hear the boy's screams of frustration.

* * *

A/N: So yeah, there's chapter 36


	41. Chapter 37

Thirty seven- Understanding

Disclaimer: I, in no form or fashion, own Naruto.

* * *

Naruto and Sakura stood in front of Kakashi. They were back, standing on one of the many porches that surrounded Tazuna's house. "I should warn you, water walking is completely different from the tree climbing exercise" Kakashi said, plopping himself on the ground. "Unlike the surface of the tree, water constantly moves. Therefore you have to adjust the amount of chakra on your feet continuously" he added.

"That sounds hard" Sakura said and Naruto nodded. Kakashi leaned against the house and opened his book.

"It is" Kakashi said, and they seriously wanted to punch the silvered hair teacher. "So, good luck" he added and started reading.

"That's it?" Sakura voiced, and well, Naruto wasn't so surprised. With Anko, it had been kind of the same way.

"You're genin, Sakura. I can't hold your hand just because you're a child. Once you placed that headband on, you're technically an adult" Kakashi said, though he didn't look at them. "And as a technical adult, you're required to figure out things on your own" he added. Sakura clenched her fists, ready to argue, when Naruto stopped her.

"Let's just start" he said and she huffed, but nodded. He took off his trench coat, folded it and placed it far away from Kakashi. They took off their sandals, and kunai pouches from their legs. Though he didn't tell Kakashi, he had already started this exercise, some days ago with Anko. However, he had yet to perfect it.

* * *

 _Flash back_

 _"Alright, gaki, now that you're a genin, I'm going to teach you how to walk on water" Anko said, and Naruto's eyes twitched. "What's with that look?" she asked._

 _"I'm going to learn how to walk on water?!" he shouted and she sighed at how excited he was._

 _"Yes, you are" Anko said as they walked through the Forest. "So...how's your new teacher?" she asked, genuinely curious about how her student was faring with Kakashi._

 _"Hatake-sensei was really strong when we fought him for that test, so I thought he would be a decent enough sensei" Naruto said and Anko glanced at him. "But for the past few days, we've been running around, trying to catch some demon cat, while he sits around, reading that stupid book of his. I can't help but think that he's a bum" he added with a frown. She chuckled, which slowly but surely turned into full blown laughter. "Uh, Anko-sensei?" he asked as she held her sides, laughing louder. "Did you finally crack?" he whispered and before he knew it, a hand smacked him on the forehead. "Ouch!" he shouted and she just smiled at him._

 _"Oooooh that was too good, gaki. I've heard people call Kakashi a lot of things, but this is the first time I think someone actually called him a bum. That was priceless" Anko said, as they arrived in front of one of the rivers that ran through Konoha. She straightened herself and all traces of her amusement disappeared as she addressed him. "Water walking is the second part of learning to controlling your chakra" she said with a serious tone. He nodded as they stood on the bank. "Look at the surface of the water, and tell me, what do you see?" she asked and he turned to the water._

 _"It keeps moving?" he asked and sighed in relief when she nodded. "What does that have to do with anything?" he added, and she bopped him on the head. "Ow!" he shouted but she ignored him._

 _"You should keep your mouth close and listen, before you ask stupid questions" she barked and he pouted. "Because the water keeps moving, you'll be required to release a chain of constant chakra at the bottom of your feet to walk across the surface" she said, and his eyes widened as she demonstrated. "The more you practice, the more it comes to you so naturally, that you don't even have to think about it" she added, and even jumped on the water without sinking. She chuckled and walked back to the bank. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get a move on, gaki!" she shouted and gave him a little shove. "Oh, and I suggest that you take off that trench coat of yours, or else it'll get wet" she added with a laugh._

 _End of Flashback_

* * *

The salt from the sea water along with the sun were rather cruel, Naruto concluded. They had been working for nearly five hours straight, as the sun's rays seemed to penetrate their skins. A yelp brought him out his musings, and he turned to Sakura who sat in the water, with a scowl on her face. Their clothes were thoroughly soaked, and it only added to the discomfort. "I hate this exercise!" she shouted and stood up. Kakashi waved at them, though he didn't bother to look up from his book. "And I hate you, Kakashi-sensei!" she added but the silver haired man paid no heed to her. He could already see a tan forming on her face.

"I think we can all agree to that" Naruto mumbled and she glanced at him. "You ready to get back to work?" he asked and she whined.

"The water burns my eyes and this stupid sun is too hot!" she wailed and waved around her hands frantically. Naruto couldn't help it, he snickered. "It's not funny, Baaaakaaaa!" she shouted and playfully nudged his hand. She smiled when he smiled, and then sighed. "Fine, let's start again" she added, and they formed a seal with their hands. She glanced at Naruto and with a nod; they started up the process again. It was indeed harder to walk on water than it was to walk on trees. Since the water kept shifting under their feet, they had to adapt their chakra to the change. It was like balancing two mugs on your head. With the chakra lanced on their feet, they slowly stepped on the surface.

"Yosh, let's go!" he shouted and she nodded, as they stood on the water. Wobbly at first, but they stabilized themselves. The water gently bobbed underneath them, but he kept up his concentration. Hold onto the chakra, they thought. They didn't last a good three minutes, before they crashed into the water, nearly at the same time. "Damn it!" he shouted, as the salt dug into his already burning skin.

"Sakura-chan, Naruto-kun!" Tsunami shouted and they turned to the woman, holding a tray of glasses filled with delicious, COLD lemonade. She didn't get to say anything else, as they darted through the water to get to her and in extension, the cold glasses of heaven.

* * *

Sasuke panted as he shot the tree one of his family's infamous glares but the tree stood firm, strong, and a little mocking, if he said so himself. It was like it was saying 'Ha, you don't scare me' and at the thought he growled. He didn't even reach halfway up the tree yet. "How could that dobe and useless fan girl..." he was saying when he stopped himself. If anything, during the fight with Zabuza the two proved to be more than what he originally thought they were. He got up and wiped the sweat rolling down his face. That's when the little green monster gripped onto his body, tearing away the little defenses he had. Almost like a snake, it hissed in his ear. " _That's why you're angry, Sasuke-kun. They were better than you at something. Even in the Academy, you were the best, the elite, just like your dead parents taught you to be. You can't stand it that someone upstaged you. No, not you, not, Uchiha Sasuke"_ He gripped on the kunai and using the little will power he had, he destroyed the envy that tried to corrupt him. "Then, I'll just work harder" he spoke, aloud and clear, but he knew that no matter what he said, he could feel its horrid words already settled in his mind.

* * *

Dinner was unpleasantly quiet. Even Kakashi was disturbed. Inari was glaring at the guests, Sasuke was loudly and furiously gobbling down his food, making a show so the others could know that he was less than pleased, Sakura was in a cranky mood since the sun burns stung all over her body, and Naruto kept falling asleep. "Sakura-chan" Tsunami said, and the tanned girl looked at her. "If you want, tomorrow we can go into town and get you some lotion for the burn" she added, a little guilty that she didn't have any in first place.

"Thank you, Tsunami-san" Sakura said and tried to keep the wince from her face, but it was hard. **Damn sun!** **Damn Kakashi-sensei, the bastard!** Inner Sakura ranted, and she couldn't agree more.

"So, Sasuke, how far did you get?" Kakashi asked. **"Why the hell can't you take a hint?"** Inner Sakura roared, as Sasuke stuffed the spoon in his mouth. Kakashi on the other hand, was rather amused. This was the first time the stoic boy openly displayed emotions and he felt like it was progress.

"Hn" the boy replied and glared at anyone who dared to even ask him to translate. Hn meant Hn, damn it!

"Okay, good to know" Kakashi said and looked at Naruto who was gripping onto the edge of the table, trying to keep his eyes open. "You alright there, Naruto?" he asked, and the blonde just looked at him.

"Hmm" was all Kakashi received as a response. Naruto rubbed his eyes and slowly stood up. He couldn't sleep, not with the sun burns and the Evil part of him, waiting in his mind. "I'm going for a walk" he said before leaving.

* * *

Naruto had walked through the forest for a while and as he was going to head back to the house, he heard flesh slamming against raw bark. Just like when Riku had found him. He walked to the same clearing Kakashi had brought them to climb trees, only to see Sasuke furiously punching the tree he was supposed to be climbing. Blood had soaked into the grain of the wood, and his knuckles were so badly bruised, he could almost see the bone. "I take it that you're frustrated" Naruto called out but Sasuke didn't stop. At the end of Kakashi's test, something in their relationship had changed. Sasuke didn't hate Naruto as much, and the same could be said with the blonde. They came to a truce that day. That didn't mean they were friends or even acquaintances. Nope, they were team mates, and that meant that they would protect each other, regardless of their personal feelings or grudges you could say.

"Just leave, dobe" Sasuke said, hitting the tree with renewed vigor. Naruto shoved his own hands in his pockets of his trench coat.

"Why?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke stopped, but his fists remained on the bark, with blood dripping onto the ground.

"Because I said so!" he shouted, but Naruto didn't even flinch at the callous outburst. "Fuck, can't you just understand that I want to be alone right now?" he said through clenched teeth.

"Okay" Naruto said, and turned to leave, when a voice, almost like a frightened child's stopped him. It was coming from Sasuke.

"How?" he whispered, and Naruto didn't glance at him. He stood as still as a statue, something Sasuke was glad for. "How could _you_...someone like _you and Sakura_...beat me at this?" he asked, staring at the blood.

"Because we're not Uchiha, is that what you're saying?" Naruto asked, in a monotone that caused Sasuke to blink. "We worked hard, Sasuke" he added, with a sigh, moving to walk off, but the other boy wasn't finished.

"I've worked hard!" he screamed, and slammed his fists against the bark once more. "All my life I've worked so fucking hard. Harder than anyone, just so I could be the best, so I could defeat him!" he shouted.

"I know" Naruto quietly said and he looked at the blonde's back, a little astonished at his words. "Even though I didn't like you back in the Academy and even now, I always knew that you worked hard, Sasuke" he added, and Sasuke pressed his forehead against the bloody tree so he wouldn't have to see Naruto. "But what I could never agree with, was your insane obsession with being the best" he muttered.

"I need to be the best" Sasuke whispered, with a little delirious undertone in his voice. "I have to be better than **he** ever did! I have to be strong so that the next time I meet **him** , I can kill **him**!" he shouted. Naruto didn't say anything for while, so they stood in silence, each refusing to look at each other.

"Being the best and being strong are too different things, Sasuke" Naruto said and Sasuke closed his eyes, almost like he didn't want to hear what Naruto was saying. "I understand that you want to be strong, because it's part of my dream as well" he added, and Sasuke grunted. "But being the best...that's just part of your self-centered bullshit, the same bullshit that you use so you could deride others like me and Sakura" he said, and Sasuke's eyes opened. "Yes, you want to get strong, you've worked hard for that goal, but Sasuke, you've been doing it the wrong way. You've been stepping and spitting on others to get your way, so no one can reach your dream before you do. And that's why I don't like you" he stated, and Sasuke's eyes blazed with the anger he felt. How dare this dobe lecture him?!

"I don't need you to like me" Sasuke bit out and Naruto glanced at him. When Naruto saw the smirk on the paler boy's face, it reminded him of Mizuki. "Why would I want someone like _you_ , to like me? It wouldn't make a difference" he said with a snark. Naruto walked off, but the boy continued. "But, Naruto, you're one to talk. The whole of Konoha hates you" he said, and Naruto stopped. Sasuke sneered and turned. He was wasting his time with this idiot, he thought, refusing to acknowledge the guilt he felt. "Just get out of here already. You're a nuisance" he said.

"You know something, Sasuke?" Naruto softly asked, and Sasuke glanced at him. "One day, when your clan name no longer holds the sway it does now, people will realize how much of a bastard you are. And when that time comes, you'll find yourself, completely and utterly alone" he said. Sasuke was going to say something but Naruto beat him to it. "And let me tell you, it's the worst thing that can happen to a human being" he added, and Sasuke's mouth went dry. "Trust me" he whispered.

"I know that, idiot!" Sasuke shouted and Naruto, a little stunned looked at him. "You don't have to tell me what I already know" he hissed, angry at himself for telling the blonde or even opening up. Naruto didn't say anything, just turned back in front.. "How did you get it?" he asked.

"I worked hard" Naruto said, and before Sasuke could stop himself, he snorted. Naruto spun around. "What was that?" he snarled.

"You worked hard? What would you know about hard work?" Sasuke asked, and Naruto's eyes narrowed. "You and that useless bimbo are the same" he added, unable to stop the hatred bubbling. He refused to accept that anyone was as good as he was. Selfish, he knew but he didn't care.

"We may not be as strong as you are, but we're both trying" Naruto refuted but Sasuke chuckled.

"You'll always be dead last and Sakura will always be another useless fan girl who can easily bend to my will. None of you have back bone" Sasuke said, though he was a little worried. Where the hell were all these things coming from?

"And you do? You have backbone?" Naruto asked with a chuckle. "You, who was ready to slice his own throat open, when the killing intent got too strong?" he asked and Sasuke clenched his hands.

" . ?" he hissed and Naruto just smirked, mirroring the one Sasuke wore some moments ago.

"You heard me" Naruto said and they glared at each other, killing intent of their own lashed against each other.

"At least I'm not a demo-..." Sasuke was going to say, but before he could finish, Naruto had already crossed the distance and landed a punch on him. He stumbled back and the icy blue eyes he was met with chilled him. For a minute, he felt like Itachi was standing above him again. Sasuke's bangs covered his eyes, and Naruto had to hold back the chakra ready to explode, in reaction to the anger he felt. "Shit. Sorry" he whispered, and he knew he was wrong. He touched the little blood on his lip. He knew it was a sore topic with the blonde, since he had witnessed for himself what the villagers had done that one time...Naruto didn't reply. Instead he just turned away as Sasuke got up. Sasuke wiped the blood away and stuffed his hands in the pockets of his pants. "You just pissed me off with that know-it-all attitude of yours" he felt himself explaining. "You of all people, who should know what it feels like, when someone spews condescending shit like that" he whispered.

"Sorry" Naruto mumbled, understanding what Sasuke meant. He did know, hell, they both knew. They stood in silence again. The previous loathsome emotions that were settling in the air, evaporated with Sasuke and Naruto's apologies.

"Just...tell me how you did it" Sasuke suddenly demanded, glaring off at the side and Naruto cocked an eyebrow at him.

"You know, you could be a bit more humble when you're asking for help" Naruto sighed, but Sasuke just released a 'Hn'. "And what the hell does that mean?" he shouted and Sasuke grinned.

"A no brain like you, couldn't possibly understand" Sasuke said and Naruto glared at him. "So you going to tell me or what?" he asked, a flush on his face. The bastard is embarrassed, Naruto thought with a smirk.

"Meh, I don't feel like telling you" Naruto said, and quite enjoyed the look of irritation mixed in with annoyance.

"Oi, dobe!" Sasuke spluttered as Naruto cackled, and the paler boy couldn't help the shiver. It was just so...evil. What he didn't know, was that the cackle was courtesy of spending too much time with a sadistic snake mistress.

"Good luck~" Naruto sang, and Sasuke was tempted to launch a shuriken at the blonde. "Oh and Sasuke" he added, and Sasuke frowned as Naruto glanced at him. "If it's anyone, I know that you can make it to the top" he said, and Sasuke's eyes widened. "You're my rival, after all. Oh and Sorry for hitting you" Naruto added with a wave.

"It didn't even hurt. You punch like a girl!" Sasuke said and Naruto just flipped his middle finger in the air as he left. "Who would ever want to be rivals with a dobe like you?" Sasuke whispered but he had a little smile on his face, the first one since the massacre. As he resumed his work, he didn't even notice the silver haired man dangling from the tree, who had listened in on their conversation.

* * *

Author's notes: I would like to reference Wiki in this; it helped with properly understanding the water walking exercise.

I felt like my boys needed a little bit of closure, you know? Plus, as this is one of the few stories that I've gotten around to write, I finished this chapter earlier than I thought I would so I decided to post it.


	42. Chapter 38

Chapter thirty eight – Meeting with strangers

Disclaimer: Do you all even read this? O.O

* * *

The next day, since their sensei decided to give them a little time off from their training, they were required to guard Tazuna. "I thought this was supposed to be a bloody break" Sakura snapped as they crossed over to where the man barked orders, holding onto a steel beam. "At least we were learning something with the water walking but this? This is just forced labor" she muttered and Naruto chuckled.

"You have to earn your bread around here, bubble gum so stop complaining" Tazuna said as they placed the beam down.

"Who the hell are you calling bumble gum, you old fart?!" Sakura shouted and Naruto had to hold her back.

"Tazuna, a word?" someone else said, and Tazuna nodded, as they left. Sakura calmed herself and touched her sore arm.

"When will he be finished? I need to get some sun lotion" she said. Unlike Sakura, his sun burns were already healed, since he had been getting some more sleep. The thing in his mind had stopped fighting him but he knew not to let his guard down.

"They're really afraid" Naruto said and she looked around. The number of workers had reduced during the course of the day. One of the many reasons, they had to help out.

"I am too. That Zabuza freak is really strong" Sakura said, and Naruto nodded. "Are you finished now?" Sakura asked as Tazuna returned. He had a faraway look on his face, and he forced a smile.

"Yes, let's go" he said but with one look at Sakura, and they knew that the man was bothered with everything happening around him.

* * *

"Damn" Sakura whispered as they walked through the desolate town. Even kids were begging for whatever they could get.

"That's why we need this bridge. It'll open trading with the mainland so all this poverty can end" Tazuna said, and looked at him.

"I guess you're more than an old drunk" Naruto said and Sakura laughed as Tazuna spluttered.

"Shut up, you brat" Tazuna said with a hearty laugh of his own. "Let's get that lotion of yours, bubble gum" he added and walked off, as Sakura shouted at him. Naruto shook his head, and moved to follow them, when he felt something like a yank on his chakra. What the...When he turned, a tiny old woman was staring at him with blank grey eyes.

"One, that is three, not whole, but incomplete,

One that is dark, the other light, the third unsure,

Each fighting, tugging, pulling, and trying to keep,

The body, the fate that was prophesized, as pure"

She stopped in front of him, and he couldn't help but feel that, despite her blindness, she could more than see him. The strange anomaly of feeling and hearing someone else's chakra occurred again. It was involuntary reaction, he came to realize when he couldn't do it on his own, when he tried to feel and hear the chakra of his fellow team mates. The woman's chakra felt strong like the feeling you would get when a large gust of breeze blew against you, though her chakra gave off the sound of a raging tempest. It wasn't as scary as Zabuza's but it was intimidating. The woman arched her eyebrow. "Boy" she addressed him and he had to look down at her a little. "You're fighting something... a darker part of yourself, right?" she asked, and his eyes widened. Before he could ask her anything, she placed her hands on his face. She tilted his head, and ran her bony fingers over his face. "Hmmm. Just as there is darkness, there is light. Good, very good" she added, and pulled away from him.

"What do you..." he was saying when she just disappeared. "What the hell?" he whispered.

"Naruto, come on!" Sakura shouted, and he nodded, though his mind wandered on the strange woman. He trailed after her, unaware of said woman, standing on the roof of a nearby house.

"Very good indeed" the woman whispered.

* * *

Dinner was a silent affair yet again. Inari was basking in his glower, Tsunami nervously smiled at her guests, Tazuna sipped on his sake, Kakashi could care less about the atmosphere as he kept reading, Sakura was trying not to pummel the kid, Sasuke was too tired to care and Naruto, well, he kept thinking about the strange lady. "Why are you all trying so hard?" Inari shouted, and they looked at the fuming boy.

"Trying hard?" Sakura asked, clearly confused. **What the hell is wrong with this kid**? Inner Sakura added.

"Why are you all even here?" Inari asked, with clenched fists on the table.

"To protect your family" Sakura said and she could see that he was struggling with himself or most likely something.

"You can't protect us. No one can protect us from a man like Gato" Inari said, his voice hoarse with all the raw emotions he felt. Sasuke, who had snapped out of his tired state, noticed that Tsunami was glancing at the ripped photo on the wall.

"So you're saying that we should let your grandfather die?" Sasuke asked, and Sakura looked at him, startled that he would actually put his say into the tense conversation that was currently taking place.

"Don't you understand?!" Inari shouted, as he slammed his fists on the table. "Gato will win! He always wins! It doesn't matter if you're here or you think you can protect us, because no matter what, the bad guys always get what they want, and the hero is the one who loses" he added, and though the hat was covering his face, they caught sight of the tears running down his face. "There are no more heroes that can save us. Not anymore" he whispered.

"By that logic, you're saying that it's okay to bow your head in the face of adversity. To accept whatever the bad guys throw at you, without even putting up a fight" Sasuke said with a sneer on his face. When Inari didn't say anything, Sasuke spat "Pathetic".

"Sasuke-kun" Sakura whispered, watching as the boy started to cry even more. Before anyone could say anything, Naruto joined in.

"He's right" Naruto said, and pulled his hood over his head. "If that's the way you wish to live your life, then you're nothing but a coward" he added, as he stood up.

"Stop it, you guys!" Sakura shouted at them, but stopped when Naruto turned to Inari who managed to look up at him through blurry eyes.

"You're nothing but a cry baby" Naruto said, and Inari froze at his words. Naruto shook his head and with that, he walked out.

"Naruto!" Sakura shouted, but Kakashi stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Sensei" she whispered, unsure of why he would stop her.

"Leave him be" Kakashi said, and she could sense some foreign emotion in her normally lazy teacher's voice. "Give him time" he added, and pulled away.

* * *

"Stupid brat" Naruto hissed and sat down on the branch of a tree. He leaned his head against the bark but the boy's words kept replaying in his mind. He closed his eyes, only to find himself standing before the evil version of himself.

 _"_ _ **He really riled you up, didn't he**_ _?"_ Evil Naruto asked, placing his hands in his pockets, while rocking on his heels. The water around them rippled, distorting their reflection. _"_ _ **You saw yourself in that kid. After all, you're weak just like he is**_ _"_ he whispered with a cruel smirk on his face.

"Since you're part of me, does that mean you're weak too?" Naruto asked and he watched as Evil Naruto's face twisted with nasty spite, that he had to admit, scared him. However just as it came, it disappeared.

" _ **I'm the stronger part of you. I'm the reason you survived so many years under the constant abuse of the villagers. If it weren't for me, you would be rotting in some grave right now. You would be forgotten, remembered as nothing but a stain in Konoha's so called prestige. And do you know something? No one, not even the Hokage would have been sad if you did die**_ _"_ Evil Naruto said with a bitter laugh.

"You're pathetic, you know that?" Naruto asked and Evil Naruto's red eyes narrowed. "You can't control me, so you've resorted to horrible tactics. You think that if you broke me, then you can get what you want. But you'll never win. Not now or ever" he added, and turned to leave, when a cold hand grabbed his neck. He could feel a sickly breath tickling the back of his head. Evil Naruto had his next hand threateningly over his throat and made a cutting gesture with the fingernail of his index finger.

" _ **You were always good at hiding, Naruto. I know you, better than anyone else. And right now, I know that you're scared so don't try to hide behind that stupid mask that could fool the others. That won't work on me**_ _"_ Evil Naruto said and added pressure. " _ **You can try all you want, pretend all you want, but you always be nothing but a coward~**_ _"_ he whispered and pushed Naruto forward. Naruto had to balance himself before he fell. Evil Naruto smirked at him.

"Damn you" Naruto hissed and Evil Naruto just threw his head back before laughing at him.

" _ **There's a battle brewing, try not to die. After all, I'm the only one that gets to kill you**_ _"_ Evil Naruto said before he disappeared.

* * *

When Naruto woke up, he was still on the tree, but it was already morning. He stretched and rubbed his head. "Reminder to self, do not sleep in a tree. It hurts" he whispered when he felt the presence approaching the clearing. He stilled, and watched the approaching girl. She had straight, black hair, pale skin and wore a pink kimono. In her hands was a basket, already filled with its share of herbs. The girl stopped directly in the clearing, and knelt down. He frowned when the girl's chakra presented itself to him. It felt as cold as ice and gave off the sound of a chilly breeze whistling in the air.

"I can see you" she said, and Naruto arched an eyebrow. "Are you afraid of a harmless creature such as myself?" she asked, tilting her head in his direction with a smile on her face. Naruto didn't say anything but jumped down, landing perfectly before her. With wide eyes, she said "Amazing". Naruto sat down, and studied the girl in front of him. She was amused by his actions, he could tell. "You're a shinobi, right?" she asked, resuming her task of plucking the herbs all around them.

"Yes" Naruto said, and plucked a blade of grass. "A normal person would be afraid of what I did, not amazed" he added, and glanced at her, waiting for a reaction.

"Oh?" she asked, though she didn't look at him. "I guess that I'm not normal then" she added with a little smile on her face.

"Hmm" Naruto said, and looked at the herbs. "Yet, if you wanted to harm me, you could've done it by now" he added, and she chuckled. "May I ask why?" he asked and he could see how the girl's hand reached deep inside her basket. Most likely a weapon, he thought to himself.

"Maybe, I don't want to harm you. Maybe I'm trying to see exactly what kind of person you are" she said, and it was Naruto's turn to chuckle. "What kind of person are you, mystery shinobi?" she asked.

"I should be the one asking you that" Naruto said, and she smiled. She blinked when he lay down on the ground. "If you should know, I would rather not fight right now and guessing from the herbs in your basket, you have to get to someone, who's most likely injured" he added, and she chuckled.

"You're rather lax and with your enemies too" she said, plucking the herbs she needed. "Should you do something that reckless?" she asked, glancing at him.

"If you wanted a fight, then you wouldn't have approached like you did" Naruto said and she shook her head at him. "Besides, I have this innate ability to sense evil in others" he added and she arched one of her eyebrows.

"And let me guess, you don't sense any evil in me? Is that it, mysterious shinobi?" she asked with a little mocking in her voice.

"You may laugh at me, but when was a child; I was forced to develop such ability" he said and she stared at the herbs. "And you're right. I don't sense anything evil in you" he added.

"How can you be so sure? What if I'm deceiving you?" she asked and he just chuckled at her.

"I've experienced my share of deception with people, but you're not one of them" he said, and she looked at him.

"How are you so sure?" she whispered and he sat up, so that she could get a glimpse of his blue eyes.

"I just know" Naruto said and she smiled. "So, do you want help?" he asked, nudging to the basket.

"I would love some" she said, and she showed him which of the herbs to pick. "Do you have precious people?" she asked and he hummed.

"Of course I do" he said, and looked at her. "Do you?" he asked and her eyes softened as though she was the only one who could see whatever she was seeing.

"Yes, I do" she said, and looked at the basket. "He's the one that I'm picking these herbs for. He's hurt" she added.

"It's nice, isn't it?" he asked and she blinked, a little confused at what he was saying. "It's nice when we have people around us to love, to share our happy moments and to comfort us. That's what makes them precious. Right?" he added and she studied his face hidden by the hood. "And I can see that he's rather precious to you, so treasure him, mysterious shinobi" he said, and she laughed, a light airy one that floated on the wind.

"I will" she said, and touched his face. Naruto flinched but she didn't remove her hand. It was soothing and warm like Ami's. "And you should treasure your precious people, too" she added and pulled away. He nodded, and she gently stood up. She dusted her kimono and thanked Naruto when he handed her the basket.

"It was nice meeting you" Naruto said, as he got up as well. "The name's Naruto by the way" he added.

"It was nice meeting you too, Naruto. My name is Haku" she said with a respectful bow of her head. "I get the feeling that this will not be the last time we will be seeing each other" she said with a little bow. He watched her walk away but as she was a few steps ahead of him, she stopped. "By the way Naruto" she said, and glanced at him. He arched an eyebrow at the smile on her face, it was almost teasing. "I'm a boy" she, rather he, added and walked off. Naruto's mouth flopped open as he gaped at the boy as he left.

Haku laughed at the loud scream of "What the hell?!" as he leisurely walked through the forest path. He shook his head and gripped on the basket tighter. "You are certainly an interesting shinobi, Naruto" he added as he walked back to the headquarters, happier than he had been in some days.

* * *

Author's notes: Wah~ Hello all! So, you would have noticed that I decided to leave out Kaiza's story and the part where Kakashi goes to comfort Inari. In nearly all the fan fiction I read, it's the same speech, the same story about Kaiza, so much so, that the prospect of writing it, made me rather green in the face. So yeah, I'm not going to write that part.

Additionally, I decided to keep Haku as a boy, albeit a feminine boy.


	43. Chapter 39

Chapter thirty nine – Team bonding

Disclaimer: So we meet again...

* * *

Naruto chewed lazily as they all sat down for dinner watching as Sakura kept looking at the door, clearly worried about their absent team mate. "He'll be fine" Kakashi said and she nodded, but didn't look at them all. Tsunami smiled at them, while Tazuna greedily gulped down his sake. They could also see the worry on her face. Since the little fight, Inari had locked himself in his room, even opting to take his meals upstairs. He was determined to avoid the shinobi that had taken temporary residence in his home.

"How far did he get up the tree?" Naruto asked, sipping some water. Kakashi looked at him over his book.

"Not even halfway" Kakashi said and Naruto stood up. "And where are you going?" he asked.

"A walk" Naruto said, but he could see the smirk under his teacher's mask. "I'll be back" he added.

"Wait, I'm coming with you!" Sakura said, and stood up. "He's our team mate, don't forget that" she said, crushing any refusals he might throw her way. He sighed. She smiled and with a nod to their teacher, they walked out.

* * *

Sasuke stared at the tree, equally as frustrated and angry. ' _Oh, Sasuke, that glare does not affect me_ ' the tree mocked and for added measure, he struck it with a shuriken. "Shit" he muttered and slumped down. "Calm yourself, Sasuke. An Uchiha does not lose control of their emotions so easily. That is a sign of weakness" he could almost hear his father chiding him. He looked at the dark sky when a cold bottle was suddenly pressed against his forehead. Startled, he looked up and saw Sakura smiling down at him. He looked at the side, and saw Naruto sitting down with his legs crossed and arms folded.

"We thought you could use this" she said, offering him the bottle. He mumbled thanks and took the bottle. She nodded at him and moved away, afraid that he would revert to the stoic, asshole he normally was. Oh, of course Sasuke knew he could be an asshole when he wanted to be, he knew that. He uncapped the water and sipped it slowly. He looked at his team mates, and he felt uncomfortable with them. They were able to easily pull emotions from him; something that his father taught him was a weakness. He refused to be weak in front of them, in front of anyone.

"It's a process" Naruto said, and Sasuke gulped down some water before looking at him. With the hood over his head, he couldn't see his face.

"What is?" Sasuke asked, wiping the sweat from his face. Sakura had taken a seat away from them both, though she was close.

"Becoming strong" Sakura said, surprising Naruto and Sasuke. She blushed as all the attention turned to her, but continued "It was one of the sayings of the Shodai himself". Sasuke let out an 'Hn' before looking away. No one said anything after that, for what seemed like hours.

"You don't want our help" Naruto stated, and Sasuke gazed at him. "You don't want help to reach the top" he added, and even Sakura could hear the double meaning in that sentence.

"Of course I don't dobe" Sasuke snapped, as he stood up. "I can do this on my own without anyone's help" he added.

"We need each other" Sakura said, and his narrowed eyes fell on her. She nearly cowered under his hateful watch but surprisingly she stood her ground, thanks to Inner Sakura's encouraging shouts. "What did Kakashi-sensei tell us right after the genin test?" she asked him and his gaze dropped to the ground. "Ninja that don't follow the rules are trash, but ninjas who abandon their comrades are worst then trash" whispering the same words their teacher had told them. Somehow, for some reason, the hairs of Sasuke's hand rose at the sentence.

"That's why we won't abandon you" Naruto said, standing up. "I may not like you, in fact, you're one of the few people I strongly dislike, because you act like there's a pole up your as-..."he was saying when Sakura nudged his hand. She scowled at him and he nervously chuckled. Sasuke arched an eyebrow at him. "The point is, no matter what, you're our comrade and that means something" he added, and Sakura nodded.

"That's some pretty words for a dobe" Sasuke said and Naruto rolled his eyes. "But, do you think I think of you two like that?" Sasuke asked, and Sakura frowned. "I don't do things like friendship. It's a nuisance" he added, and that earned him a shoe to the head. Naruto stifled a snicker as Sasuke's eyes widened. He immediately turned to Sakura who only had one shoe on.

"You're a baka!" she shouted, and with wide eyes, he stared at her. "Why can't you see that we care about you? Why can't you just accept our help? Why must you be so stubborn?!" she shouted, on the verge of tears.

"Because people betrayed me once!" he shouted, with his hair shadowing his eyes and clenched fists. "I don't want that to happen again" he added, turning away from them.

"So what?" Naruto asked, and Sasuke glanced at him from over his shoulder. "Do you honestly think you're the only one who's experienced betrayal? Get over yourself" he added harshly.

"What do you know about me, dobe? What do you know, huh?!" Sasuke shouted but Naruto just pulled the hood down.

"Nothing" Naruto said and Sasuke shot him a blank look. "I don't know a thing about you. But Sasuke, do you know us? Do you know Sakura? Do you know me?" he asked, and Sasuke snorted.

"I don't care. I don't want to know you or Sakura" Sasuke said, and Sakura's lips quivered. He didn't even react when her other shoe made contact with his head again.

"You're such a jerk" she whispered and he didn't know why, but he felt his heart tug at her voice. "You may act tough but that's all it is. An act" she shouted and he stared at the ground. "You say that you don't want to know me but I know you!" she added, and he spun around.

"You don't know me, Sakura!" he shouted and she stared at him through tear filled eyes. "You don't know me" he whispered, more broken than they had ever heard him. Before she could rebut his claim, he added "Do you even know what happened to my clan some years ago?" When they didn't answer, he whispered "They were slaughtered. No one survived expect me" Sakura took a step back and with frighten eyes, she fell on her butt. "That bastard made me watch as he..." he whispered but his voice broke, and he couldn't continue what he was saying.

"You..." she sobbed and covered her face. This was the burden he was forced to carry? This is what happened to him? The reason he changed from a sweet boy to that stoic jerk?

"And do you want to know the worst part?" Sasuke asked, as he turned back around so he wouldn't have to see them. "The person who killed my parents and my clan, the one who made me relive their deaths, he was my hero. The one I looked up to, who I admired more than anything" he mumbled, and clenched his fists, as he blinked away the tears. "That person was my older brother, Uchiha Itachi" he whispered and Naruto's eyes widened. Sakura released a loud sob at his statement. "So, Sakura, did you really know me?" he asked, looking at the crying girl. He closed his eyes at the sight, and was going to move when Naruto stopped him.

"No, we didn't know you but we do now" Naruto said, and placed his hand on Sakura's head. Sasuke looked at him. "You're just like we are" he added and Sasuke scoffed. He was going to say something, but when he looked at hollow blue eyes, his mouth got dry. Naruto stooped down and whispered something to Sakura who nodded. Faster than Sasuke could blink, the girl had launched herself on him. He stumbled as she hugged him but luckily they didn't fall. He was going to push her away but she tightened the hold she had on him. "Sorry to say this, but you're stuck with us" he said, with a smile and Sasuke reluctantly placed his hands around Sakura.

"You both are the most..." Sasuke was saying but just sighed instead. He looked at Naruto and shook his head. "This does not change anything, dobe. I still hate you" he said and Naruto shot him a feral grin.

"But of course. The feeling is mutual, ya know?" Naruto said and Sakura pulled away from Sasuke. "Because no matter what you do, you will always have that pole up your ass" he added with a laugh.

"Naruto-baka!" Sakura shouted and Sasuke scowled at the blonde who was laughing. "Sasuke-kun does not have a pole up his..." she said but stopped as she flushed pink as her hair.

"You were imagining his ass, won't you?" Naruto asked with a sly grin. Sasuke's eyes widened as he turned on Sakura, who spluttered. "Ohohoho, our Sakura is a pervert~" he sang.

"Naruto!" she shouted and he laughed as she ran after him. "Come here, you baka" she shrieked but stopped. Naruto glanced at what she was looking at. Standing there was a laughing Sasuke, one that they had never seen before. "This is the Sasuke-kun I remember" she whispered and Naruto patted her head. When Sasuke finally noticed that they were looking at him, he stopped laughing, though there was a blush on his cheeks.

"You aren't embarrassed, are you, teme?" Naruto teased and he had to duck from one of Sakura's shoes, courtesy of a furious Uchiha.

"Shut up dobe" Sasuke said and Naruto smirked. "So...um...are you going to you know?" he asked and they knew how hard it was, to put away his pride to ask for their help.

"Hm, what was that?" Naruto asked and Sakura shook her head, as she retrieved her shoes. Sasuke glared at him, but just like the tree, Naruto was immune.

"Naruto is right, Sasuke-kun. If you want our help, all you have to do is ask" she said, slipping on her shoes. He scowled, and then sighed.

"Fine!" he said, throwing his hands in the air. "Can you both idiots, help me?" he asked, and Sakura frowned.

"Now, that wasn't nice, was it, Naruto?" she asked, and Naruto chuckled. "I think you can do better than that" she added, and Sasuke glared at her.

"Can you please, help me with this tree walking exercise?" he mumbled, kicking some dirt with his sandals.

"Of course, we'll help you!" Sakura chirped and clapped her hands together. "Don't worry, Sasuke-kun. We'll get you to the top" she added.

"Just count on us" Naruto said, shooting him a smile, while Sakura nodded at his words. Sasuke's eyes widened as he looked at them. For the first time since THAT night, he had people he could call his friends.

* * *

Author's notes: Such a nice ending to a relatively angsty chapter, don't you think? I know that Sasuke doesn't come out right and tell them what happened in canon universe, but hey, I've changed up the entire story so what's another change?


	44. Chapter 40

Chapter forty- Battle on the Bridge (Part One)

Disclaimer: Purposely left blank because the author is tired of this shit already (sorry for the language)

* * *

"Kakashi-san, can I ask you something?" Tsunami asked, cleaning up the table from the dinner they just had. Kakashi looked up from his book and nodded at her. "Where are your students?" she added as she placed the few dishes in the sink.

"Hmm, most likely in the forest" he said and she gaped at him. "What is it, Tsunami-san?" he asked.

"They're in the forest so late?!" she asked and he arched an eyebrow at her. Tazuna placed a hand on his daughter's shoulder to calm her down.

"Tsunami-san, they're shinobi, they can take care of themselves" Kakashi said and Tsunami's eyes narrowed.

"They're kids!" she said, and before she could say anything else, the three children stood in the doorway, with an exhausted Sasuke in the middle. Kakashi placed his book on the table as he watched Naruto and Sakura help the boy inside.

"So, little Uchiha, did you make it to the top?" he asked the boy covered in dirt and sweat. Sasuke looked up and gave him one of his arrogant smirks.

"Of course I did" Sasuke said, and Kakashi chuckled.

* * *

As soon as they got up the next day, Naruto could feel the tension in the air. "Today might be the day that Zabuza strikes" Sakura whispered as they ate breakfast. Sasuke nodded and Naruto glanced at their sensei. Even though he was reading his porn as usual, there was visibly something different about him. It was just like when he battled Zabuza the first time around.

"Alright, my personal bodyguards, let's get going" Tazuna said and kissed his daughter on the forehead. Sakura grumbled something at him but they got up nonetheless.

"Take care of yourselves" Tsunami said, as she watched them leave. Tazuna turned and smiled at her.

"Always" he said, and with a nod, they were off. Naruto glanced at Umi who was sitting on the roof. The playful clone waved and Kaze smirked at him. Naruto tilted his head respectfully and when he turned around, Kakashi chuckled.

"Smart move" Kakashi said and Naruto huffed at him, while the others were confused about the conversation. "You're proving to be a capable shinobi, Naruto" he added with a quick ruffle of his hair.

"Oh, shut up" Naruto grumbled and Kakashi just laughed. Sakura arched an eyebrow at Sasuke who gave her a one shoulder shrug in return.

* * *

"Kami" Sakura whispered as they stood on the bridge, bathed with the crimson telltale sign of blood. Sasuke clenched his fists, but they could see that they were lightly shaking while the boy himself looked shook up. Kakashi glanced at Naruto, who out of his students wore a blank mask. He narrowed his eye. The reaction was something that a person who already witnessed such carnage would make. Did Anko already instruct him in his first kill? He thought but shook his head. No, the woman was sadistic but she wasn't crazy. Besides the Hokage would never let her do that. So, then, where did he witness such a thing? He asked himself. He was broken out of his musings when one of the few men alive, groaned. Instantly Tazuna ran to him and they were forced to follow.

"Who did this?" Tazuna whispered as Sakura started to administer the little medical knowledge she had.

"A demon" the man gasped and fell unconscious. Tazuna paled at the sight of the limp man. Next to him, Naruto flinched at the word, though no one noticed.

"He's not dead" Sakura said, feeling for his pulse. Tazuna looked at her as she worked. "He lost a lot of blood but he'll survive" she added and Kakashi heard the little sigh of relief that came from the plump man.

"Keep your guard up" Kakashi said, watching as the mist rolled in. "They're here" he added and a laugh came from ahead of them.

"Hello Copy ninja" Zabuza said as he walked with his masked accomplice by his side. "I'm glad that you and your baby ninja decided to join us. It was getting a little boring" he added as Naruto and the others got in formation around Tazuna.

"I see that your wounds healed" Kakashi said, and Naruto glanced at the masked boy.

"Hello again, Haku" Naruto said, and both veteran shinobi were surprised that their students knew each other. Haku took off the mask and sadly smiled at him.

"We meet again, Naruto-kun" Haku said and Zabuza arched one of his eyebrowless eyebrows.

"You know that squirt, Haku?" Zabuza asked, and he could see the conflicted emotions in the boy's eyes.

"Yes, we met briefly" Haku replied and Kakashi turned to his student but Naruto was focused on the effeminate boy. "I'm sorry, Naruto-kun but it's like you said. I must treasure my precious person and that has placed us on opposing sides" he added as he placed his mask back on.

"We knew that we were enemies the moment we met, Haku" Naruto said and Haku's eyes softened.

"Oh, and you forgot to tell me this, Naru-chan?" Kakashi asked, and Naruto glared at him.

"What's your name, kid?" Zabuza asked, looking at the hooded boy. He had seen that blonde hair once and he couldn't shake the feeling that he should know why it seemed so familiar.

"He's none of your concern, Momochi" Kakashi harshly bit out, and that surprised his genin. They had never heard him use that tone with anyone before, and it was a little unsettling coming from the normally playful man. "This fight is between you and me" he added and took out his kunai.

"Oho, is that so?" Zabuza asked, taking a step closer. Naruto, Sakura and Sasuke tensed as killing intent clashed. It felt like they were caught in a typhoon. "Well, then. Let's dance, Hatake" he added heaving his large sword on his shoulders. He turned to Haku. "Kill the brats" he ordered and Haku bowed low.

"As you wish, Zabuza-sama" Haku said, and disappeared. Sasuke, who was thirsty for a fight, was the first to engage Haku.

"Stay out of this" Sasuke barked and they watched as the two moved away. Sakura's breath hitched but said nothing. Naruto knew she was right in saying nothing, because no one not even Kakashi could stop Sasuke now. Zabuza laughed and Kakashi just smirked under his mask.

"You should be worried about your brat, Zabuza. I'll have you know that he chose to fight one of Konoha's most promising genin" Kakashi said, and Naruto felt something like distaste in his mouth.

"Hmm, I could care less" Zabuza said as he stared Kakashi down. "Besides, my _brat_ has something special going for him. Something that almost guarantees his success" he added with a knowing look on his face.

"Enough talk" Kakashi said and without so much of a flicker, the two shinobi disappeared in the mist.

* * *

The question of whether or not Haku will survive remains unanswered. For now.


	45. Chapter 41

Chapter forty one- Battle of the Bridge (Part two)

Disclaimer: O.O

* * *

"Damn, this is boring" Umi whined as he lay down on the roof. Kaze shook his head as he diligently kept watch of their surroundings. "Why couldn't we have gone with Naruto to the bridge? That's where all the action is" he moaned as he kicked his feet over the edge.

"Shut up, baka. We're supposed to be looking out for potential enemies" Kaze hissed at him as he twirled his kunai a little. That was when he saw Inari walk out onto the porch below them. He nudged at Umi who looked down at the kid. He could still see tear streaks on the boy's face. Umi shrugged his shoulders at Kaze who sighed. He understood why the original and Sasuke was so harsh with the boy, but he also understood Inari as well. He could see how Kaiza's death had scarred the young child who kept staring at himself in the reflection of the water. "Poor kid" he muttered and Umi snorted before lying back down. Before he could say anything to his fellow clone, he caught signs of movement from the corners of his eyes. He signaled Umi. Umi, who got the message, got up and moved in a crouch beside him. Two men, with katana around their waist were bolding walking up to the house.

"Things are about to get juicy" Umi said, and crackled his knuckles.

* * *

Naruto watched as yet another hail of senbon rained down on Sasuke. Having learnt about Haku's bloodline, they were forced to watch as the masked boy harshly gained the upper hand on their fellow team mate. He clenched his fists, ready to go assist the fallen Uchiha but stopped himself as he saw Kakashi fighting with Zabuza. "Sasuke-kun" Sakura whispered with a pained voice and expression.

"Keep sharp, Sakura" Naruto said, as his eyes flickered to the right. "Don't forget that Zabuza wants to kill the old man" he shouted as he drove a kunai into another one of Zabuza's water clones. Sakura trembled as water fell to the ground behind her. Tazuna who was just as shaken up had to take another gulp of sake or else he would have fainted. She looked at the blonde who seemed just as downtrodden as she was, before tightly wrapping her hands around her kunai.

"You're right" Sakura said, as she stood in front of Tazuna once more. "Thanks, Naruto" she added and he almost didn't hear her. Before he could answer her, Kakashi's voice broke through the mist.

"Naruto!" Kakashi shouted and Naruto responded with a shout of "Yes". "Go help Sasuke" he panted as he dodged another head chopping swing from Zabuza.

"You didn't have to tell me that, old man. I knew that" Naruto rudely shouted and guessing from the quick eye smile he got from Kakashi, he knew the man wasn't offended by what he said. Naruto turned to Sasuke who struggled to his feet. As he was walking up to the ice mirrors that trapped the Uchiha, said boy turned to him.

"Don't, dobe" Sasuke gasped out, the senbon digging into his flesh. "If you come in...You won't be able to leave" he breathless added as he got to his feet.

"Shut up" Naruto said as he leapt inside, just in time too, as he grabbed onto his team mate in order to avoid the senbon directed at him. Sasuke glared at him but even the blonde could see the relief on his face. "You don't look too good" he added with a cheeky grin on his face whilst Sasuke released a "tch" his way.

"Now you're both trapped inside of here" Haku spoke, his eyes focused on the blonde. "I'm sorry Naruto-kun, but you must die" he added as he slipped out of one of the mirrors.

"Here he comes" Sasuke gritted and with a nod at each other, they dove out of the way.

* * *

"Gaki" one of the men called to Inari who scampered to his feet. "Where's your mother?" he added with a smile on his face and a hand on his sword. Inari's lips quivered as the men got closer to both him and his house. He unconsciously took a step backwards, his body ready to react to the danger by fleeing, when he stopped himself. **Crybaby.** The word sloshed all around him as his vision started to blur. No, he wasn't...but stopped himself as already the tears started to form in his eyes. He gripped onto his jumper and glared up at the men who seemed only amused by the gesture.

"Stay away from my mother!" he shouted and shot towards the men. He would no longer run and cry. He would stand and fight.

* * *

"Shit" Naruto choked out as he pulled on one of the senbon he couldn't avoid. The thing had embedded itself in his right shoulder. Sasuke wasn't doing much better from the looks of it either.

"You can't possibly win. Give up, Naruto-kun" Haku taunted, causing Naruto to bite down on his lip in frustration. Nothing he had used worked. Not even the jutsu he learnt from the Sandaime, his Kage bunshin or anything. They were sitting ducks in there.

"Oi, listen, dobe" Sasuke gritted out and he glanced at the boy who was slightly panting. "Somehow, my eyes are getting used to this" he added and Naruto just arched an eyebrow at him.

"So why didn't you avoid those senbon just now?" Naruto asked and Sasuke shot him what the blonde had dubbed "his death glare".

"Shut up and listen" Sasuke bit out and Naruto, who was going to snap at him, just closed his mouth. "If I can cover you, it might give you enough time to attack him" he added and Naruto glanced at Haku who was observing them from one of his mirrors.

"That's actually good" Naruto said, wiping away some blood from the corner of his mouth. Sasuke scuffed at him, whilst his eyes solely focused on Haku. "It's a plan" he added and with a quick smirk at each other, they set out to beat the masked boy.

* * *

Inari could only watch as the katana slowly began its descent down on him. He closed his eyes and welcomed the imminent death, only to hear a soft "Heh". He immediately opened them up to see two versions of Naruto sailing through the air towards the two men with identical smiles on their faces. "Need a hand, kid?" Umi asked, as he sent one of the men flying into the water with a round house kick. Kaze on the other hand used a punch to knock out the man who threatened to kill Inari with his katana. The both clones landed on the ground, next to the fallen mercenary who was out cold while the other was floating on the water, unconscious just as much as his comrade. Inari couldn't even help himself from rushing up to them and gripping onto their clothes for dear life. Kaze glanced at Umi who shrugged.

"You came" he cried out as he sobbed. "You saved us" he added as he pulled away to wipe his eyes.

"Of course we did" Umi said, patting his head. "That's our job" he said with a smile on his face and Inari couldn't help but gawk at them.

"You performed well Inari-kun" Kaze said with a smirk on his face. "You were brave" he added, watching as the boy's eyes widened.

"Sure was" Umi said and roughly tousled his hair before picking up his hat. "We're sorry for calling you a crybaby before" he added as he placed the hat on his head. Inari smiled through the tears and nodded at them. "Yosh, let's get going! To the Bridge" he shouted and Inari watched as they disappeared. Hope blossomed in his chest. Maybe heroes did exist...And that was when he knew what he had to do.

* * *

"Shit" Sasuke whispered as he turned to Naruto. Even after awakening the Sharingan, they couldn't defeat the masked boy. They had only managed to dodge his attacks while their own jutsu couldn't touch him. They were getting tired, Naruto even more so. He could actually see the strain of having to use chakra placed on the blonde. His movements was getting sloppier, and even though they were grudgingly around the same speed, Naruto was starting to get slower. "Get up, dobe" Sasuke jeered, hoping the insult would bring the blonde to life once more. Unfortunately all it did was make Naruto sit up.

"Shut up, I know" Naruto hissed but couldn't hold onto the energy anymore. He felt his back slam against the hard ground and as his eyes closed. "Fuck...don't let me go to sleep..." he whispered before he lost consciousness.

Sasuke frowned and turned to Haku who poised his hand in the air, ready to send another round of senbon their way. "Damn it, dobe" Sasuke shouted as he picked the blonde up before dashing away from the attack.

* * *

" _ **Well, well, well. Glad to see that you're here again**_ " Evil Naruto said, leaning against the wall with his hands crossed. Naruto who was now sitting down in the water like hallway greeted him with a frown. He was waiting for the assault that he knew would come, only for the red eyed version of himself to smirk at him.

"What? No choking me today?" Naruto asked as he stood up. Evil Naruto chuckled and pushed himself off the wall.

" _ **There's something you have to see**_ " Evil Naruto said, as he walked away. When he noticed Naruto wasn't following, he turned back. " _ **You coming or what?"**_ He asked.

"You expect me to trust you after all the times you tried to kill me?" Naruto asked and Evil Naruto just rolled his eyes.

" _ **This isn't about trusting me. This is about your little friend, the Uchiha boy**_ " Evil Naruto said and he knew that Naruto would follow him. When he did, Naruto was brought before the Kyuubi who only smirked.

" **IF IT ISN'T MY JAILOR"** the fox said, his eyes opening to look at Naruto. " **OH AND YOU'RE HERE TOO"** he told Evil Naruto.

 _ **"Just show him the thing"**_ Evil Naruto said and though the fox snarled at him, he tipped one of his claws into the water. Naruto watched as the image warped into something familiar. He was staring at what was happening outside. His body was lying on the floor, while Sasuke seemed to be standing in front of him protectively. His fingernails dug into his palms. _**"What's this?"**_ Evil Naruto asked as he leaned forward. Naruto's eyes narrowed as some senbon were directed at his unconscious body.

"Haku" he darkly whispered, only for his mouth to drop open when Sasuke rushed in front of his body. He watched with shocked eyes as senbon after senbon dug into Uchiha's skin. Blood sprayed from the boy's mouth as he fell to his knees. "Sasuke!" he shouted while Evil Naruto and Kyuubi smirked. However Sasuke could not hear him as he painfully tried to keep him from falling.

"Why did you save him?" Haku asked, stepping out of his mirror to face Sasuke. The Uchiha glanced at the blonde's body and even Naruto could see the small smirk on his face.

"Do you even have to ask?" Sasuke asked haughtily before his face twisted. More blood trickled down his mouth. "Even though he's a dobe...he's my team mate" he added before he fell unconscious. Naruto could feel the malicious chakra surging through his veins as he stared at Sasuke's prone body, his words replaying in his mind.

" _ **Well, Naruto. What are you going to do about it?"**_ Evil Naruto asked, gleefully smiling as shadows passed by Naruto's face. He could see the red chakra forming at Naruto's feet and Kyuubi chuckled.

" **Kill him** " Naruto muttered as chakra coiled around his body.

* * *

Kakashi, surrounded by the thick fog, kept an eye out for his opponent, the very formidable Zabuza. He had to admit, the man was good but unfortunately for the rogue nin, Kakashi was better. He was prepared to finish off the battle between them, when he felt it. A thick, nasty chakra that exploded in the air, more potent than the mist he was trapped in. "Naruto" he whispered, fear in his voice.

* * *

Naruto didn't care anymore. As the reddish energy bled into his veins, as it yanked his body upwards, as it twisted and corrupted him further, all that was running through his mind was: **HATE, HATE, HATE.** The Evil part of him placed his hands on his shoulders as he watched his body move on its own.

" _ **It's time for a little revenge"**_ he whispered in his ear. His front canines grew longer just as his finger nails, the three whisker marks got darker and his now red slit eyes were staring at Haku. " _ **Go ahead, Naruto. Hurt him just as he hurt you and that 'team mate' of yours"**_ he made sure to murmur before giving him a push that made him land on all fours. Naruto released an animalistic snarl in the air that was crackling with the chakra that coated his body. Naruto shot towards the masked boy, merciless in his assault as he used his claws to slash against the mirrors that Haku had chose to sneak back in. The ice cracked before shattering into a million of pieces. Red slits shifted as Haku tried to get away again. He dashed towards the masked boy, grabbing onto his ankle, his claws digging into pale flesh. Haku cried out, and tried to force Naruto to release his grip with the use of his senbon. Naruto however saw the move coming, and using his strength, flung the boy against his own ice mirrors. The cry that came out from the boy's mouth was not loud enough to drown out the sounds of his mask as it smashed against the mirrors. Haku's bruised body fell to the ground amongst the ice shards. The Kyubified Naruto dropped to the floor as well, his eyes landing on Sasuke's motionless form. " _ **Finish the job, Naruto. Kill him"**_ the Evil part of himself hissed. Naruto watched as Haku struggled to his feet, the last pieces of his mask falling off of his face.

"Do it, Naruto-kun. Kill me" the ice user gasped, blood dripping down his mouth. Without a word, Naruto crossed the distance between them, his claws ready to rip out Haku's heart out, when he made the mistake of looking at the boy's face. His own words, the ones he had uttered to Haku some days ago echoed in his mind, effectively cutting off the hatred he felt. The chakra slid off his body and Haku watched as Naruto stopped his attack so he could stand directly in front of him. "Where did that strange chakra of yours go? Now you have no way of defeating me" he said, and even Evil Naruto was cursing him for his so called idiocy.

"Why?" Naruto asked, looking into the other boy's eyes. "Why would you fight for someone like Zabuza?" he added. Haku, with a sad smile on his face looked up at the grey sky.

"Because he was the only one he cared" served to dissolve any remaining hostility he felt for the boy.

"Boss" Umi shouted as both he and Kaze approached. Naruto stopped him as he was ready to engage Haku.

"Take care of Sasuke and help Sakura defend the old man" Naruto commanded and as his clones were going to disobey, the pleading look in his eyes stopped them.

"As you wish" Kaze said and with that, they picked up Sasuke before heading off to find Sakura as well as Tazuna.

"Tell me, Haku" Naruto demanded and Haku looked at him, the surprise evident on his face. "What makes a man like Zabuza your precious person" he added.

* * *

"This is the end, Zabuza" Kakashi said to the man who was subdued thanks to the ninken. With his chidori crackling in his hand, he was ready to rid the world of the shinobi known as Zabuza.

* * *

"Now kill me!" Haku shouted, holding his stomach. "You took away my very purpose to live. Now I can no longer stand by Zabuza's side. I'm a worthless tool" he whispered, tears threatening to spill. Naruto was going to say something but instead grabbed the kunai from his pouch. He threw it on the ground before the boy.

"If you want to die so bad, then do it yourself" Naruto said and Haku's lips trembled. "Because I'm not going to" he added. They stared at each other, when Haku felt it.

"Thank you" Haku whispered and went off to the one man who had protected him for the majority of his life.

* * *

"He served his purpose" Zabuza muttered as Haku fell to the ground, a gaping hole in his chest. Kakashi stood off at the side, as the mist started to lift over the bridge. His eyes, even the Sharingan widened at the sight of Sasuke lying next to a crying Sakura. "Looks like your genin wasn't so great after all, Hatake" he added, a smirk on his face.

"In the end, he still chose to die for you" Naruto said, and the jounin turned to the bloody, slightly charred blonde who approached them, though his eyes were trained on the dead Haku.

"He was my tool after all" Zabuza said but Naruto didn't say anything. He kept his hollow gaze on the boy who impacted his life more than he would've liked.

"He wasn't and you know that, don't you Zabuza" Naruto whispered as he sat down where he stood. "A tool doesn't have a mind of its own. It wouldn't have sacrificed itself for its master. Only loved ones commit such an act" his voice travelled across the bridge and even Kakashi was chilled the words of wisdom that came with an blank tone.

"You don't know what you're talking about, gaki" Zabuza refuted but even he could hear how futile his denial was.

"Is this what the great Demon of the Mist is capable of?!" Gato roared and the present shinobi turned to the man who appeared with a group of mercenaries he hired. "Defended by mere baby ninja?" he taunted as he rose his foot to stamp on Haku's seemingly sleeping face.

"You bastard" Naruto growled, and Kakashi had to stop him from launching himself at the man while Zabuza glanced at him. "Are you going to let him just do that?!" he shouted at Zabuza who frowned.

"He's already dead, why should I care?" Zabuza asked but Naruto wasn't convinced. He pointed at Haku's corpse.

"He lived for you, do you know that? He EXISTED for YOU!" Naruto screamed and Zabuza didn't dare to glimpse at the boy's body. "He didn't even have a dream of his own. His dream, his purpose in life, was to make sure you achieved your dreams, to make sure that you were happy" he whispered, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Is that all Haku was worth to you? The boy you had saved in that cold night years ago? The boy you took care of ever since you found him? Tell me!" Naruto shouted, and Kakashi tried to calm him down, but Naruto wasn't having it.

"Don't...don't say anymore kid" Zabuza whispered, tears trickling down his face. "I know how much it hurt Haku to fight against you. He was too kind" he added and Naruto looked down at the ground.

"He was a great shinobi, just like you taught him to be" Naruto said and Zabuza smiled through his tears.

"I'm glad you were our last opponents" he said, and turned to Naruto. "Give me your kunai" he added. Naruto took out a kunai from his pouch, and threw it towards the rouge nin. He didn't even watch as Zabuza ran towards the group of mercenaries with the kunai in his mouth.

* * *

"He killed our meal ticket!" one of the men shouted as Zabuza had sliced Gato's head off. "Kill them!" they roared.

"I don't think so!" Inari shouted and Naruto glanced at the boy who was backed by the villagers who were all wielding weapons of their own. "We're not letting you win! We're taking back our country!" he added, making sure to smile at the blonde.

"Looks like Sasuke will live yet another day" Kakashi said, and the blonde who had smiled back at Inari, turned to see what he was talking about. Sakura was hugging Sasuke, while Tazuna, Umi and Kaze were looking on with relieved faces.

* * *

Author's notes: So Haku did die in the end. May he rest in peace.

The reason I chose to go with canon events, was the fact that Haku's death impacted Naruto just as it would in this AU. I think that this, just as the meeting with Dai and Arata, will make him think a little about the path he's planning to take. That there will be hurdles his way and pain to face.

As for the question of why Naruto is such a jerk towards Kakashi, it's simple really. Even when he met Ami and Riku, we see he's wary of new comers in his life. Besides, he doesn't have good impression of Kakashi right now. PS: I kinda wanted their relationship to resemble that of an older brother and younger brother. O.O totally didn't know that Naruto just came off jerky.


	46. Chapter 42

Chapter forty two- Good byes and meeting Mother

Disclaimer: Let it be known that the author own not Naruto.

A/N: I decided to post this chapter cuz this story isn't going to be updated until next week.

* * *

He could still see Haku's smiling face, even after they had buried him with Zabuza. Naruto who was the one to suggest they bury them, stood in front of his team mates, a blank look on his face. Naruto felt like he should say something, but what should he say about someone he didn't even know? The only conversation he had with Haku was in that forest. They both knew they were enemies, but the sadness that they each saw in each other, was enough to make them brief comrades. It was strange, now that Naruto thought about it. How he could feel pity for someone who tried to not only kill him but his team mates. All for the sake of his precious person. The thought alone chilled something in Naruto. If he was given the chance, would he do the same? Even if it was wrong? "Naruto?" his sensei called and he nodded a response.

"Did you know him?" Sakura asked but the hooded boy didn't answer her. He kept staring at the cross they had made from branches of a tree.

"No" Naruto said and her eyes softened. Just like Naruto, she thought as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Sometimes, the person who was our enemy yesterday, can be our friend today or tomorrow" Kakashi spoke.

"I've been thinking" Naruto said, his eyes still locked on the cross. Sasuke made a quick jibe at his words which of course, meant that Naruto followed up with an insult of his own. They laughed a little, and when the friendly humor had all but thinned out, he continued "I think I'll carve my own path. I'll redefine what it means to be a shinobi". Kakashi's eyebrow arched.

"Strangely enough, I think that's a good idea" Sasuke said as he moved to Naruto's other side. Naruto huffed at him but they all knew he was pleased. "Maybe your head isn't so empty after all" he added and Naruto grabbed Sasuke in a head lock. Sakura stood off at the side, broadly grinning at the two, happy that they were finally friends. Whatever happened in the battle against Haku had mended the gap between Naruto and Sasuke. Naruto chuckled as Sasuke pushed him off of him, though he knew that Sasuke, ever the bastard was trying not to laugh. Ignoring his black haired friend, he smiled at the graves. Though in the end Haku had died, he left Naruto with something precious. He had grown closer to his team. Maybe, his sensei was right.

"Sleep well" he whispered and following his example, the rest of his team closed their eyes, praying that the two souls would finally find some peace.

* * *

After completing their mission, Team 7 along with their sensei stared at the villagers who insisted on seeing them off. "Thank you for all that you've done" Tsunami said, a smile on her face.

"Yeah, I have to admit, you four didn't do so badly in protecting me" Tazuna said and they chuckled when Tsunami scolded him. "I mean, thank you for protecting me" he added.

"It was our job, Tazuna-san and as Konoha shinobi, we could not stray away from our duty" Kakashi proudly said, while most of the girls in the crowd swooned at his words. His genin on the other hand, rolled their eyes. _**Yeah right**_.

"Naruto-nii" Inari said as he stepped forward. Tazuna smirked at his grandson who looked at the blonde with watery eyes. "Will you ever come back and visit us?" he asked and Naruto placed his hands on the boy's shoulders before stooping down.

"I promise" Naruto swore and Inari's entire face lit up. The blonde wiped away the stray tears. "I'll be back to see you" he told him and Inari nodded without even doubting the blonde shinobi's words.

"We should get going" Kakashi said and the villagers whined. "We have a report to give to the Hokage, don't we team?" he asked and pouted when his genin walked away from him. "Oi, don't be so rude to your teacher!" he shouted and followed after them. Naruto waved at Inari who returned the gesture, a huge smile on his face.

"That boy, he's going to be great" Tazuna whispered and his daughter who heard him, chuckled.

"Tazuna, what are you planning to name this bridge?!" someone from the crowd asked and he smirked

"I think we should call it 'The Great Tazuna Bridge', what do you think?" he replied and they scoffed at him. "Fine. What about 'The Great Naruto Bridge'?!" he asked and he knew they agreed since rounds of applause exploded at his second suggestion.

"Grandpa" Inari whispered and when he looked down at him, his grandson was smiling through his tears. "Heroes do exist" he declared, though his gaze was strained on Naruto's back. Tazuna smirked and patted his head.

"They sure do" he confirmed.

* * *

"Home sweet home" Sakura said, as the large gates of Konoha was in view. The rest of her team mates nodded at her words, glad to be home as well.

"Now about that report-…." Kakashi was saying when he was cut off by the loud scream of "Naruto!" The blonde shivered and when he saw the very angry Ami standing next to the guards, he flinched. However, they weren't the only ones who were at the gates, harassing the guards for information about Team seven because standing next to Riku was a burly man with bright pink hair.

"Dad!" Sakura screamed out and threw her backpack to the ground. The man turned and when he saw sight of similar pink hair, his face lit up.

"Oh, my little cherry blossom, I'm missed you" He laughed as she ran towards him. He lifted her in the air and she giggled. "Your mom was caught up with some work, so she couldn't be here…." He was saying when Sakura tightened her hold on him.

"It doesn't matter" she whispered, and he could feel the tears soaking into his clothes. Memories of her last mission flashed in her mind and more than ever, she needed her father.

"It's okay, Sakura. I'm here" her father assured her and it made the girl sob even louder.

* * *

"Ami-chan! Old man!" Naruto shouted and without waiting, he rushed towards them. He too had be caught up with his own emotions. He hadn't seen them in a long time and needless to say, he missed them. Riku, who just chuckled, opened his arms and felt when the boy darted into the offered embrace. "It's good to see you too, little scamp" Riku said, ruffling his hair. Naruto whose hood had already fallen off of his head, beamed at the man.

"I REALLY missed you" Naruto said, hugging the man again. The blonde didn't care that this actions would come off childish, because all that mattered was Riku and Ami.

"Aren't you forgetting someone?" Ami asked, her feet tapping against the ground. Without wasting another moment, Ami pulled Naruto out of her Uncle's arms and hugged him. "Oh, Kami. I was so worried about you!" she exclaimed, her cheek against his cheek. "When the Hokage told us that you were coming home, we didn't want to wait! We just had to see you!" she cried, holding onto him like he was a newborn baby. Now, if he had to admit, he was kind of embarrassed.

"Come on now, Ami-chan. You're embarrassing the boy in front of his team" Riku laughed. "We're just glad you're home again" he said and placed a hand on Naruto's head. Naruto sniffed and looked at them.

"I'm home" he said, a little tint of red on his cheeks. Ami looked at her Uncle who chuckled. She hugged him and Riku smiled.

"Welcome home" the older man said and Naruto wished he could stay in their warmth forever.

* * *

Normally the scenes in front of him would be heartwarming, but Kakashi knew it could also be heart wrenching for people like himself and Sasuke. He glanced at his last student, the only who didn't have family waiting for him at the gate, no father to readily embrace him in a bone crushing hug or a grandfather to welcome him home. He was just like Kakashi after all. Completely alone. The boy as he observed had his both fists clenched, his face shadowed by the hurtful memories he no doubt knew Sasuke could see. A mother, a father, a family that had been robbed from him too cruelly. "Sasuke" Kakashi was going to say more but the boy turned his back on them.

"I'm leaving" he said, and Kakashi could hear the tremble in his voice. Without another word, the boy left and Kakashi couldn't help but notice the way the boy's hand shook. Kakashi sighed. I know, Sasuke. I know more than anyone how it hurts, He thought before deciding to leave as well.

* * *

"I see that you survived the Demon of the Mist" someone said, just as Naruto was walking through the village, after having left the welcome home party Riku and Ami threw for him. Even Tenten and Lee, who arrived from their own mission a few days ago, showed up at the party which was supposed to be 'secret'. Iruka-sensei was there as well and even the old man Hokage came by. Despite Riku and Ami's insistence of having him stay over for the night, he decided to go back to his apartment. He didn't want to risk having the evil part of himself attack him while he was sleeping at Riku's place. He didn't want to worry them so with reluctance, he refused their offer. He was just about to go home to his apartment, when the old woman, the same one he had met at the Land of Waves approached him.

"You're..." he was going to say but she walked past him like he wasn't even there in the first place.

"If you wish to speak to me, follow as I walk. There are too many eyes around here" the woman said and Naruto shifted to look around but saw no one. "Well, come on, boy. I don't have all day" she added and without another word, Naruto followed her.

* * *

"You're the woman that Arata said would meet with me" Naruto said, looking at the blind woman.

"Yes, I am. You can call me Mother, like everyone else does" she said, circling him and Naruto frowned.

"Who is everyone else?" Naruto asked, and she had a little smile on her face as she stopped in front of him.

"I wasn't expecting you to be this sharp. Quite impressive" she said, and patted his cheek, something a grandmother would do. "I've known about you for a while now" she added and his eyes widened.

"Do you...know my parents?" he asked and she could hear how his breath hitched at such a question. She weighed her options. Should she tell him? He did deserve to know, but she also knew that if she told him anything, the Hokage would immediately boot her out the village for being a threat, and she would not be able to set about the plan she already had in motion. Hm, such a conundrum, this was, she thought to herself. She fingered the beads in her hands and decided that she would go with the easier route.

"No, I don't" she said, and she could taste the disappointment from the boy. "I had a prophecy about you, the boy with hair as bright as the sun. That's what I mean when I said that I knew about you" she added.

"How do you know it's me? There are a lot of 'blondes' in the Elemental Nations. That's not much to go on for a prophecy, don't you think?" he asked, and she smirked. "So either you're bullshiting me, or there's more to this than you say" he added.

"Well, if you should know, there IS more to the prophecy" the woman said, and Naruto watched as she walked away. "It was foreseen, that the boy, you, would cross paths with Arata. A boy with hair as bright as the sun, with our heritage would surely stand out, don't you think?" she added with a little chuckle.

"There's something else, isn't there?" Naruto asked, as he crossed his hands. He had learned the hard way; never take what people said at face value. Even the people you trusted.

"There is, but I can't get into it, not yet anyway" she said, sitting on the rock, cross legged. She played with the beads and he couldn't help but think that the image made her come across like a monk. "Already, fate has started to unravel, and in little or no time, you'll be forced to make some of the hardest decisions in your life" she said, and he stared at her. "There is a war on the horizon, boy. A war like the Elemental Nations has never seen before" she added, as the wind blew around them.

"So why are you telling me? I'm just your average, measly genin" Naruto said and she chuckled.

"That you are. However, you're meant for so much more, and that is why I came to you" she said and his frown deepened. He should be flattered, but these words that the woman were handing to him, were heavier and more intense. "Your destiny, it's one that even the Great Sage spoke about" she spoke but he said nothing. What could he say? "That is also part of the reason I'm here. You've been struggling, haven't you boy? The darker part of yourself, it's presented itself to you" she added.

"What is it? I know that it's supposed to be the 'darker part of myself' but that doesn't actually clear anything up. That thing, whatever it is, shouldn't be in my mind, should it?" Naruto said, and she nodded.

"It represents every dark thought or feeling that you've ever hard. It's the part of yourself that can be counted for all your insecurities, your jealousy, and your depression" she said, and he remained silent. "However, normally it doesn't make itself known. Usually, it takes deep meditation or spiritual journey to bring it out" she added.

"So why did it come out?" he asked and she hummed.

"I can think of two reasons" she said, and raised her index finger. "Reason number one, the Kyuubi" she added and his eyes widened.

"You know?" he whispered and she nodded. "How do you know?" he added, on edge. How could she possibly know?

"I can sense its evil chakra, even at this distance" the woman said and he felt his guard loosen but they were still up. "Our clan, the Uzumaki are made of excellent sensor nin. Even you show some potential in this aspect, though your ability is unrefined at most" she added.

"Sensor nin?" he asked and she nodded. "Can you explain?" he added and she wrapped the beads around her hands.

"Have you ever found yourself in a situation that you felt your enemies' chakra?" she asked and he nodded though she could tell he was hiding something. "That is what it means to be a sensor nin" she added.

"So you can feel its chakra?" Naruto asked and she looked at him with those grey eyes of hers. "What does it feel like?" he whispered.

"It's hard to describe, but I can tell you one thing. It screams of an intense hate, which is not surprising as the fox is made of this" she said, and he looked at his stomach.

"What is the second reason?" he asked, no longer wanting to continue the conversation of the Kyuubi.

"Happiness" the woman said and Naruto blinked.

"Did I hear you right? Did you say happiness?" Naruto asked, a little confused and shocked at the same time.

"Yes, you heard me quite clear" she said, twisting one of the beads between her index finger and thumb.

"How can happiness bring out the darker side of me? That doesn't make sense" he said but she just chuckled.

"There is this saying, which our forefather, the great founder of our clan, used to say. It's quite profound and clever, just like the man himself was" she said, and he arched an eyebrow. "Happiness is a double edged sword" she quoted and waited for a reaction. "Do you want me to explain?" she asked when nothing happened. Naruto just stared at her.

"Please do" Naruto said and she found herself liking the boy more and more.

"Happiness, though it brings out the best of us, it can also bring out the worst" she said, and he scrunched up his face. "When we're happy, somehow, no matter what we do, there is always this tiny thought that pops into our brain. Do you know what it is?" she asked.

"Will this happiness last?" Naruto whispered and her grey eyes softened. He cleared his throat and added "Am I right?"

"Unfortunately, you are" the woman said and looked at the sky that she hadn't seen in years now. "You can equate that thought to the darker part of yourself. That is the part that always shows up whenever happiness does" she added.

"So what you're saying is that because I've been happy, happier than I've been in my life, this dark part of myself showed up because he's pissed or something like that?" he asked and she nodded. "That's messed up" he mumbled.

"Indeed" she said, but then added "But I suspect there's more to all of this" He looked at her, heavily skeptical at the prospect. "Therefore, you must confront him" she said and his eyes widened.

"Confront him? How do I do that?" Naruto asked and with grace, no old lady should have, she got up and stepped off the stone.

"With my help, you'll go deep within your subconscious and meet him on familiar ground" she said.

"And then what? Have a nice bowl of ramen and discuss why he's so bent on killing me?" he asked sardonically.

"No, when you confront him, then you must have a fight for inner peace" she said as grey clouds gathered in the distance, while the winds whipped about. Naruto sighed. He knew that not even Mother Nature liked the sound of those words.


	47. Chapter 43

Chapter forty three- The fight for inner peace

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me.

* * *

A few seconds passed between them, as Naruto stared at Mother. "What do you mean a fight for inner peace?" he asked.

"It's pretty straightforward, if I do say so myself" Mother said, walking up to him. "I will assist you in this fight, all you need to do, is direct me to your place of residence" she added.

"Why do you want to go to my apartment?" he asked and she started to walk off. "Can you please stop?" he added.

"What we are about to do must be performed in secrecy" Mother explained and he reluctantly followed.

"And what exactly are we about to do?" Naruto asked her and she just chuckled to herself.

"I will put you in a deep trance, where you will confront your darker self" Mother said as they walked down the street.

"Like meditation? But that has never worked for me. It, he tried to kill me the first time I did that" Naruto confessed.

"That is why you will need my assistance. I will be there to protect you from the Kyuubi's harmful intentions" she said and he arched an eyebrow.

"What does the Kyuubi has to do with this? The other part of me was the one who tried to kill me" Naruto said.

"Yes, but I suspect that he has been manipulated by the Kyuubi's evil influence" she said and Naruto frowned. "Therefore, I will create a seal that suppresses both his chakra and his consciousness" she added and his eyes widened.

"You can do that? You can actually create a seal to do that?" he asked in awe as he studied the tiny woman.

"Yes. Hasn't Arata explained the skill of your clan, the Uzumaki?" Mother asked with a smile on her face.

"He did, but I didn't think it applied to something like this" Naruto said and she chuckled again. "How exactly will this seal suppress its chakra?" he added.

"The seal does what its name implies" Mother said, and he looked at her. "The Kyuubi's chakra is malevolent by nature; therefore, if I were to create a seal, then the Kyuubi's chakra will be overpowered. The two forces will oppose each other, cancelling the evil that comes with the chakra. Think of it, as the Yin to his Yang" she added, amused by the admiration that came from the blonde.

"Wait, what kind of seal would be able to overpower the Kyuubi's chakra?" Naruto asked, and she arched an eyebrow.

"I'll leave that to Tanaka to explain" she said, and he scrunched up his face.

"Who is Tanaka?" Naruto asked but all she offered as a reply was a smile.

* * *

After moving most of his things to one corner of the apartment, he stood in the middle of the room, where the table used to be. He turned to Mother who was burning some incense, 'purifying' the air like she said she was doing. With the beads wrapped around her hands, she turned to him. "Now, what I am about to do, you must speak no word of it to anyone" she said and he nodded.

"I promise" he said and he watched as she closed her eyes. She bit her thumb and his eyes narrowed. "That looks like the summoning jut-..." he was saying but stopped when she ran through the hand seals faster than he could possibly see. Without so much of a whisper, she slapped her hand on the ground, and he watched as a grey wolf appeared in a puff. His eyes widened and backed away. The wolf was large as Naruto was, had grey pelt, red hakama beads around its neck, a sun symbol on its forehead, while its yellow eyes were lazily focused on Naruto.

"Hello, Tanaka" Mother said and the wolf inclined its head towards the woman. "Meet Naruto" she added and Tanaka shot a toothy grin at the blonde.

"A pleasure" Tanaka said, and Naruto shakily nodded at the wolf, who was greatly amused.

"Tanaka here has been in the Uzumaki clan for years now" Mother said, patting the wolf's head. "It is said that the Wolf clan was one of the summons that directly served under the Sage of Six Paths" she added and Naruto's eyes widened.

"So this is the boy that caused such a commotion in the world of the summons" Tanaka said and smirked. "He's tiny, Mother" he added and Naruto frowned.

"Now, now, Tanaka, don't upset the boy. You're here to aid me with the seal that we spoke about some days ago" Mother said.

"Wait, how can he help you with the seal?" Naruto asked, completely confused at the turn of events.

"She has explained that she's going to create a seal?" Tanaka asked and when nodded, he continued "Well, the ink she needs for such a seal is provided by none other than me" Tanaka smirked when the blonde's mouth dropped open.

"W-w-what?" Naruto asked and Mother nodded. With a flicker, a large black ink brush appeared in her hand.

"The Kyuubi is a being made of pure hate and rage, we all know this" Tanaka said, watching Naruto. "He may be an evil force but the ink that my clan makes is so strong that it can cancel out his influence" he added, and Naruto sat down, as Tanaka ran through some seals of his own. With a puff, a bottle of black ink appeared before him. Mother whispered something to the wolf before taking it up. As she dipped the brush in the ink, he felt something resonating in the air.

"Wait...how can he...what do you mean?" Naruto asked, as she elegantly drew the brush across the floor. He could see a faint golden glow as the lines were created.

"All you need to know for now, is that this ink is special" Tanaka said as his eyes were trained on Mother who continued finished engraving her seal.

"Alright, boy, it's time" Mother said, standing beside her seal. "You will be required to take your shirt off" she added and Naruto frowned.

"It's not like we'll ogle you. I'm a wolf; I could care less about your human flab and Mother's blind so there's no way she can see you" Tanaka said with a grin. Naruto's frown deepened but he complied. As he took off his trench coat and his skin made contact with the air, he felt a sizzle, like a small electrical shock.

"That would be the chakra at work" Mother explained, as he placed his shirt and trench coat at the side. "Step into the seal and cross your legs" she said, and he stared at the seal that took up almost all the newly required space. The lines didn't made sense to him and the seal wasn't like anything he ever seen. As soon as his feet touched the marked floor, he felt a rush of warmth enter his body.

"What the hell was that?!" he asked, but Mother just nodded at him, urging him to continue through with her instructions. He sighed and sat down, before crossing his legs. "Now what?" he added.

"Now, you close your eyes and let Mother do all the work" Tanaka said, making sure that his yellow eyes raked over Naruto's body.

"Oi, keep your eyes to yourself, you pervy wolf!" Naruto shouted and Tanaka barked out a laugh.

"Stop it, Tanaka" Mother scolded and Tanaka just smirked at Naruto. "Boy, close your eyes" she said to Naruto who scowled at the wolf.

"Go on" Tanaka urged and with one last glare, Naruto closed his eyes. "Clear your mind of everything" he added.

"I've tried doing that, but it doesn't work" Naruto gritted out but Mother circled the seal, her hands in a blur.

"It will work this time, don't worry" Mother assured, and stopped in front of him. She whispered something and with that, a gold light engulfed Naruto. "Good luck" she added and Tanaka smirked before the world around him dimmed to darkness.

* * *

"What did I tell you? It doesn't wor-..." Naruto said but stopped himself. He looked around the room that was completely different from the sewer like hallway.

"This is not the seal but your mind" Mother's voice rang, and he looked around the room, a little afraid. The walls were painted a vivid orange, which gave the impression of vibrancy, but the sadness that clung to the air, made him know better. The room was devoid of all furniture, save for a table that contained a thick, large scroll. The paper was brown with age, and his name was elegantly written at the top. He was going to step towards it, but Mother said "Leave it, you don't have time".

"What is that?" he asked, looking around but he couldn't see her anywhere.

"That would be your Scroll of life" she said and his eyebrows joined together in his confusion. "I will explain it to you later, but right now, you must confront your darker self" she added.

"Fine" he said and walked to the door. With one glance to the scroll, he walked out. He walked until he came upon another hallway, though this one wasn't submerged in water. However, it did seem endless, as it spoke of tall, large shelves that consisted of boxes with unique labels. He caught sight of a box labeled 'Orphanage' and he winced.

"This is called your Hall of Memories" Mother spoke and he saw another box labeled 'The day I met the old man Riku' which caused a little smile on his face. "Keep going until you come across a red door" she said, and he forced himself to move.

"So the place where I normally end up, that's the seal?" Naruto asked Mother, as he walked.

"Yes" Mother said and when he came upon the red door, she added "This is as far I can guide you. You're on your own as of now, boy. I wish you the best of luck in this fight" He frowned and nodded.

"Thanks" he said, and when he placed his hand on the knob, he could almost feel the other part of himself in the room. He took a deep breath before he swung the door open. The red eyed version of himself was lying on a velvet couch, with his hands folded under his head. His leg was dangling off, and there was a magazine on his chest.

" _ **So the old hag sent you**_ " Evil Naruto said, sitting up. " _ **I'm surprised that you agreed to this, 'Fight for inner peace' or whatever she's calling it**_ " he added with a mocking tone of voice.

"Her name is Mother, not old hag" Naruto said, stepping inside the room. He could see all kind of books, magazines, games and manga all over the place. It was kind of surprising that the room was typical for a teenage boy, not for the murderous, dark part of himself.

" _ **What did you expect? Human parts scattered across the floor or something**_?" Evil Naruto asked as he placed the magazine beside him. " _ **And the name is Yami**_ " he added as he stood up.

"You have your own name?" Naruto asked and Yami smirked.

" _ **Of course I have my own name**_ " Yami said, and chuckled as his eyes fell on Naruto's bare torso. " _ **Where the hell is your shirt? Do you really expect me to fight you like that**_?" he asked and Naruto blushed.

"Shut up!" Naruto shouted and Yami just shook his head. "And why aren't you trying to kill me? You usually try the minute I arrive" he added, and Yami shrugged.

" _ **Because I know that unlike the other times, you're going to fight me**_ " Yami said snapped his fingers. The room disappeared, only to be replaced by a wide, open blank space. He got into the Academy stance and smirked at Naruto. " _ **Come on, coward. Let's see how good you are**_ " he whispered and Naruto's eyes narrowed. With that they disappeared. Yami dashed towards him in a whirlwind of speed, his hands already drawn backwards, intent on punching him in the fac. Naruto who had seen the fist aiming for his face, moved his head out of the way by slipping some inches to the right, effectively dodging the punch. Naruto followed up with a punch of his own, only for Yami to copy what he had just done some moments ago. " _ **I know every thing you're about to do, Naruto"**_ Yami laughed before throwing his head back. " _ **After all, I AM YOU"**_ He mocked.

"Shut up" Naruto shouted as they dashed towards each other again. Naruto didn't wait for Yami to attack first as he jabbed at the other boy's head. However as though Yami foresaw his movement, he protected his face with both of his hands. Not to be outdone, Naruto aimed his right hand to Yami's body (more specifically his stomach).

" _ **Kawarimi no jutsu**_ " Yami smirked and just as Naruto's fist connected, the shadow clone which had taken Yami's position, puffed out of existence. " _ **Not good enough! Kage bunshin no jutsu**_!" Yami shouted as he created two more shadow clones. The three dashed towards Naruto without giving him a chance to create his own clones. Naruto saw Yami preparing a round house kick to his head and using his own foot, he swept Yami off his feet. Naruto had no time to relish in his little victory as one of Yami's clones grabbed him from the behind in a choke hold. Naruto raised his leg up, grabbed one of his kunai in his pouch and stabbed the clone, barely dodging the other clone's attack. He switched the hand he was holding the kunai with the other, before slamming his blade into bunshin, killing it off. Yami who was standing off in the distance, smirked and threw a kunai of his own towards Naruto at top speed. Before he could raise his own kunai to block the oncoming one, he took notice of the tag attached to it. " _ **Stay alert, coward. You're fighting for your life here**_ " Yami smirked and before Naruto could move out of the way, someone grabbed his hand, pulling him away from the tag that just went off. As he was back to safety, he looked up to see who had taken him away from such a danger, only to come face to face with a younger, smaller version of himself.

* * *

MEANWHILE ~~~~~

" **SO YOU'RE THE ONE WHO CHAINED ME UP"** the fox spoke, his eyes glued to the short woman who was standing in front of him. Thick chains made of pure, golden chakra bounded the fox, even going out of the way to keep his head bowed. Though he couldn't see the woman, he knew exactly who she was. " **I HATE YOU BLASTED UZUMAKI"** he grumbled and Mother just smirked as she appeared in front of him. He snarled as she placed a hand on his large nose.

"You've been rather naughty, haven't you?" she asked, rubbing his whiskers while he roared at her. "Father would have been disappointed" she added as she pulled away from him. For a second, uncertainty flashed in his eyes before it was covered up with hate.

" **DON'T SPEAK OF THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW ABOUT, _MOTHER"_** he snorted as he rolled his eyes, conceding himself to the position he was currently in. " **OF ALL THE STUPID NAMES, YOU JUST HAD TO GO FOR THE MOST VAPID ONE, MARI"** he huffed and Mother, formally known as her given name Mari just chuckled.

"Even now you're still grumpy, Kurama" she said and the corners of her eyes crinkled with amusement as the fox harshly growled at her. His head, despite the restraints snapped upwards, as he struggled to get his hand free so he could attack her. He was clearly angry with her for using his name. She knew how taboo it was for the fox.

 **"WHY ARE YOU HERE, MARI? AFTER ALL THIS TIME, EVEN WHEN WE WERE SEPARATED FROM FATHER, YOU NEVER MADE AN ATTEMPT TO SEEK US OUT"** the Kyuubi bitterly said, almost accused.

"You never wanted to speak to me, even when I did try to find you" Mother said, her grey eyes hovering over his face. "I know that we haven't been fair with you, Kurama. In fact, when Father died, the peace he tried to create only caused the children of the world to persecute you, the tailed beasts. However, that doesn't mean you should take your anger out on the child. You must know that Naruto is different from the others who have imprisoned you" she told him but he only stubbornly closed his eyes.

 **"HE'S JUST LIKE THE REST OF THEM. ALL HUMANS ARE THE SAME"** he tersely said and Mother shook her head before she raised her hand, the chains that held the fox's head down, lifted.

"Then, what about your father, Kurama? Though he possessed godly powers, he was but a mere human as well" Mother said and Kurama frowned at her. She could practically taste his unhappiness at her words. "I want you to leave the boy alone after all of this is done" she sternly added and Kurama was ready to snarkly reply when another chain popped out from the ground, only for it to painfully wrap itself around his mouth like a muzzle. He glared holes into the woman who had already turned her back on him. "If not, I will personally make your life worse" she warned before all the chains vanished. Kurama who was now free lunged towards the woman who, in the blink of an eye, was already outside the seal. The irritated fox laid back down glowering.

" **AGE HAS MADE YOU DULL, MARI"** Kurama said to himself though he knew that annoying woman would be able to hear him. He released a 'humph' and went back to sleep, ignoring the image that popped into his mind of a little girl holding onto the hand of the white robbed man with purple eyes.

* * *

Regarding the seal: I kinda based it off Jiraiya's Chakra-Suppressing Seal found on the Naruto Wikipedia page.

PS: Did all like Tanaka? Isn't he just cute? And no...I don't plan to make Naruto a God of Summons (yeah you know what that means)

To Scarease: Thanks. Btw, I would love to borrow some of your Oc's. In fact, I'll pm you.


	48. Chapter 44

Chapter forty four- Memoirs of his childhood

Disclaimer:0

Warning: It gets a little dark...

* * *

Naruto felt like something was lodged in his throat, as the little boy stared at him. The boy's face, unlike his, held a certain innocence that threatened to suffocate him. " _You don't like looking at me_ " the younger version of himself confirmed, and Naruto felt like he wanted to run away from those blue eyes that were staring him down. Unlike Evil Naruto or Yami, this part of himself scared him the most. This part of himself reminded him of the days, the time, when he wasn't so bitter about the world, back then, when he wasn't so jaded. This boy standing in front of him was almost pure, unlike the person he had become.

"You're the one who helped me back then. You're the other voice" he whispered and the boy, who could be no older than eight nodded.

" _Yup_ " the boy said, with a smile. Naruto wanted to throw up. The boy as though he sensed this, frowned. " _There's something you have to see, if you want to defeat Yami_ " he added, and turned on his heel. Naruto noticed that where he walked, the water seemed to have parted for him.

"I...um" Naruto said, and the boy stopped walking. "You're..." he wanted to say but couldn't.

" _I'm what_?" the boy asked, turning and those familiar black shorts with blue t-shirt made his knees weak.

"You're me, right?" Naruto asked, and the boy arched an eyebrow. "I mean..." he added but stopped himself.

" _Yes, I am you_ " the boy said, turning around so he could look at Naruto. _"I'm part of you_ " he added, and Naruto swallowed. " _Are you coming_?" he asked and Naruto just nodded, unable to meet his eyes. The boy hummed and without another word, they trailed down the watery hallway.

"Where are you taking me?" Naruto asked, as they turned around an unfamiliar corner. It was like they were leaving that part of his mind.

" _You'll see_ " the boy said, with that childish tone of his, as though all of what was happening was a game. When they finally stopped, the boy smiled at Naruto as he placed his hand on the handle of a black door. " _We're here_ " he added and when he opened the door, Naruto shivered. " _Come on_ " he chirped and disappeared inside. When Naruto stepped in the room, he couldn't help the unease as it slithered on his skin. The room, which seemed to be some kind of library, was lined with tall shelves of torn books. Though it wasn't submerged in water like the hallways, it was still dreary as a familiar sadness and darkness clung to its walls. He didn't even register that the boy was talking to him, until those eerie blue eyes were on him.

"What are those?" Naruto asked, as he walked to the shelves. The books all varied in size, but they were all the same color, black.

" _They are your darker memories_ " the boy said, and Naruto who began to walk to the shelves, came to a halt.

"My... darker...memories" he choked out and the boy just snapped his fingers, and a table appeared in the space between them. "How is this different from the Hall of memories?" he managed to whisper.

" _Unconsciously, your mind placed itself in such a way, that all your darker memories were separated from the others_ " the boy said, and with another snap of his fingers, some books appeared on the table.

"I can't look at those" Naruto gasped, and turned to run, when the boy stopped him. "I just can't" he whispered.

" _If you want to defeat Yami, then you must_ " the boy said, and Naruto felt like the boy was older than the both of them.

"You know what is inside those books, the memories, before Ami-chan and the old man, they're filled with the worst times of our life" Naruto said, and he could feel the tears prickling at his eyes, but he refused to cry.

" _Of course I know. After all, I am the keeper of these books, these memories_ " the boy said, opening one of the books. Naruto immediately looked away. " _But you can't run away from them, anymore, Naruto. You must face your past, just like we've done_ " the boy added, beckoning Naruto closer.

"I have faced my past, I just don't like having to relive those horrible memories" he whispered to the little boy.

" _You buried your past, there's a difference_ " the boy said and Naruto glanced at him. " _You tried your best to forget or even accept that they happened_ " he added and Naruto frowned.

"How can you say that I tried to forget the past, when even now the villagers still treat me like I'm some sort of disease?" Naruto shouted but the boy ignored him.

" _Do you remember this? We were five years old back then_ " the boy said, peering over the book. Naruto closed his eyes, trying his best to shut him out. He didn't want to be there, he didn't want to listen to the kid. " _It was our birthday, and we made the mistake of going into town that day. We ignored the Hokage's warnings and slipped past the guarding Anbu, though we suspected that they let us run away_ " he added, and Naruto wanted to curl up on the floor to avoid the conversation on a whole. " _That was the first time we got a knife in the stomach_ " the boy said, and the words echoed in the room.

"Shut up!" Naruto shouted and the boy ignored him just like before. He flipped the page, and stared at the image in front of him.

" _Six years old, a year after the stabbing incident_ " the boy said, and Naruto gritted his teeth. " _Luckily though, it wasn't on our birthday_ " he said, and chuckled as though it was a joke. " _We were kicked out of Teuchi's ramen stand_ " he said, and Naruto fell to the floor. " _An incident that you could never forget, even after you forgave the man_ " he added, as he flipped the page.

"For Kami's sake, stop" Naruto whispered, but the boy didn't. He had his hands over his ears, in a futile attempt to block the boy's words from entering his ears.

" _Seven years old, a year after we were thrown out of Teuchi's ramen stand"_ the boy said, and this time, his eyes softened. " _Some drunkard had cornered us, and had beaten us so badly, that not even the Kyuubi's chakra could heal us as quickly as it normally did. Even with our broken body in the Hokage's hands, the doctors refused to admit us into the hospital_ " he said, and Naruto screamed at him to stop. The boy flipped the page, and said " _Eight years old, after the beating from the drunkard, some kid in the Academy lied to one of the instructors, who had us stand in the pouring rain for nearly three hours as punishment_ "

"Please. Stop" Naruto begged, and finally the boy looked at him. "Don't. I can't hear anymore" he pleaded. The boy seemed to consider him for a while but continued.

" _Nine years old. We were crouched down in the corner of our apartment, as Anbu had to protect us from the mob outside. However one of the men, a shinobi had managed to slip past the Anbu and snuck inside. With a broken bottle, he stabbed us in the chest, missing our heart by a few mere inches_ " the boy said, and Naruto clutched his head between his legs. He didn't want to hear this. He couldn't bear to listen to the past wounds that still scarred his heart. He couldn't... **No** , **he just couldn't.** " _Ten years old, a year before we met Riku_ " he added, and Naruto squeezed his eyes shut. " _The day that Haruno Sakura betrayed us and the day that we came to hate Uchiha Sasuke_ " he solemnly said.

"Stop it!" Naruto shouted and looked at the boy with tear filled eyes. "I forgave them" he whispered, and the boy let out a hollow laugh that didn't match the innocence that was his face.

" _You forgave them but my dear Naruto, you never forgot_ " the boy whispered and flipped the page.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Naruto whispered and thankfully, the boy snapped the book close.

" _Because you need to see this_ " the boy said, and another book appeared on top of the others. " _You never saw the role Yami played in all of this_ " he added, and with a wave of his hand, a large image appeared. " _We are part of you, Naruto, even if you weren't aware of it before_ " he said. It was indeed Yami, who was standing in the watery hallway, watching as Naruto laughed at something Riku and Ami said.

 _"_ _ **How can you forget**_ _?" Yami whispered to Naruto, but he knew that the boy couldn't possibly hear him._

 _"_ _ **IT HURTS, DOESN'T IT?**_ _" Kyuubi asked, cracking one of his eyes open. Yami didn't look at him, he kept his focus on Naruto._ _ **"IT SEEMS LIKE OUR LITTLE WEAKLING, GREW UP. HE HAS NO MORE USE FOR YOU, DARK ONE. HE HAS PEOPLE MORE IMPORTANT TO HIM NOW"**_ _the fox purred and Yami clenched his fists._

 _"_ _ **Shut up**_ _" Yami growled and the Kyuubi released a mocking laugh at him. "_ _ **You know nothing**_ _!" Yami snapped, and turned his back away from the jailed fox as well as the image._

 _"_ _ **HE NO LONGER NEEDS YOU. HE HAS HAPPINESS NOW, NO USE FOR DARKNESS ANYMORE. POOR LITTLE YAMI~"**_ _Kyuubi taunted._

 _"_ _ **Shut up**_ _!" Yami screamed and clutched his head, just like Naruto had done some moments ago. "_ _ **He needs me. He will always need me and I need him. We're together in this**_ _" he whispered, but the Kyuubi just chuckled._

 _"_ _ **SEEMS TO ME LIKE HE ALREADY REPLACED YOU"**_ _Kyuubi spoke when Naruto hugged Ami. Yami's eyes which were fervent with fear now narrowed with an intense hatred. Kyuubi sat up, and smirked, his teeth glistening in the dim lights._ _ **"I LIKE THAT EXPRESSION OF YOURS, YAMI"**_ _Kyuubi chuckled. "_ _ **IF YOU WANT, I CAN HELP YOU. GET HIM BACK THAT IS. ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ASK**_ _ **"**_ _the fox coaxed._

 _"_ _ **He'll regret the day that he replaced me**_ _" Yami whispered, and with a smirk, Kyuubi knew that Yami was sold._

Naruto stared at the frozen image with wide eyes. " _Yami was the one who got us through all the horrible things in our life. He was the one who took all the hatred, the one who kept us going, the one who became the sacrificial lamb that the villagers preyed upon_ " the boy said and Naruto rubbed his eyes.

"I didn't even look at it like that" Naruto said and the boy closed the book, so that image disappeared.

" _If you want to defeat him, you'll have to understand what he went through, what he did for all of us. You'll have to bear his pain. The question you have to ask yourself, is: Can you do that_?" the boy said, looking at Naruto.

"I can" Naruto whispered, standing on unsteady feet and heart. "I have to apologize for everything that has happened to him" he added and the boy smiled at him. "Thank you" he said, and the boy walked up to him.

" _You're well on your way to winning this battle for peace, Naruto_ " the boy said with a smile. Naruto placed his hand on familiar tuft of blonde hair.

"We grew up in harsh circumstances, but it was because of you and Yami, that we survived" Naruto whispered. The boy leaned in his touch, and nodded. "Thank for all you've ever done for me" he added and the boy just smiled.

" _It's okay. We were the only ones that loved you like the Hokage did during those years. We were the ones that had to protect you when Jiji couldn't and unconsciously, you protected us as well_ " the boy said, and stepped away. Naruto wiped his eyes and smiled at the boy.

"You're one smart kid" Naruto said and the boy laughed. Naruto could see that he was disappearing in what seemed like a flutter of light.

" _Don't forget about me, Naruto_ " the boy whispered and Naruto smiled. " _We're always with you_ " he added. Naruto closed his eyes. He could feel the boy resonating somewhere in the deeper, darker parts of his heart, almost like a lost piece of the puzzle that he forgot that he misplaced in the first place.

"I know" Naruto whispered, bringing his hand to his heart. He opened his eyes and grinned. "I'm coming for you, Yami" he added and with one long glance at the library, he left.

* * *

A/N: So this is what happens when you give Naruto happiness...huh figures. I just felt that when Kishimoto-sensei introduced Yami, it was a tad too late (don't get me wrong, Naruto is a masterpiece in my opinion) but I think he should have been referenced to a little in earlier episodes so it didn't feel as though it came out of no where.

Additionally I feel as though as a child who experienced his share of abuse, that Naruto would react differently to happiness if he had been granted it earlier on. I mean come on, the kid is only human...and I believe that once Naruto had a family after all that had happened to him, Yami would not take it lightly if he was replaced. If you really look at it, it was because of Yami that Naruto could smile so freely and be himself. So he has a right to come off like a self yandere. (Does that even make sense? Lol)

Finally to FoxSoulRedux: Your words were appreciated, thanks for the review. You're right though. I decided to add a sort of realism that canon Naruto touches on, but never delves too deeply into.


	49. Chapter 45

Chapter forty five- Understanding his darker self

Disclaimer: I own not Naruto

Warning: There is some gore, angst and swearing.

* * *

" _ **Come back to get your ass kicked again**_?" Yami asked as they stood opposite from each other once more. Yami slid into the Academy stance, but when he noticed that Naruto remained unmoving in the same spot, he frowned. " _ **Well, aren't we going to fight**_?" he added, but Naruto just smiled at him. It was neither taunting nor false, yet Yami felt distaste blaze against the roof of his mouth. Without waiting, he dashed towards Naruto, ready to pound his face in. Just as his fist was going to meet Naruto's face, he could only stare wide eyed, as tanned arms went around his shoulders in what he knew was a hug. " _ **What the fuck are you doing**_?" he bit out, ready to tear out of Naruto's grip but to no avail. He could not get free.

"I'm sorry, Yami" Naruto whispered. Wisps of blonde hair fell over his face as he stopped struggling in Naruto's hold. "I'm sorry" he muttered as he buried his face on the crook of Yami's shoulder. He didn't even see when an equally as tanned hand sunk into the middle of his chest. Instead of blood pouring out of Naruto's mouth or out of the wound, memories and emotions poured into his heart as well as his mind.

* * *

 _When Naruto was only five years old, Yami had been born into existence. The day the darkness had seeped into his heart had been the day of his creation. It had been when an earthquake shook the village of Konoha. As the ground beneath his feet trembled with such a rocking force, as the orphanage where he had spent his entire life broke to bits and pieces that was when Naruto knew true loneliness, true hatred and pain. As all the other children were ushered outside the now broken building that was barely standing on hinges, as toddlers were soothed from the fear that even the blonde had felt, as children were comforted by the caretakers, Naruto was left all alone in one of the back rooms. As he stood trapped amongst the rubble, broken toys and glass, they had walked past him. Like he wasn't even there in the first place, like he was_ _ **nothing**_ _. He had stretched out his hand, as those shadowy figures walked past the room, as he opened his mouth to call out for help, their voices drifted towards him. "Where is_ _ **that brat**_ _?" one of the men asked as they ducked under the now faulty wires._

 _"If we're in luck, he's buried alive somewhere, never to be found again" a woman replied, and guessing from the voice, he knew it was the matron, the same woman who had nursed him when he was just a babe. In that moment, because his heart had been demolished, the light had given birth to the dark so that Naruto would not have to bear that hurt._

* * *

 _Yami felt his body slam against the cold hard ground. He could feel his skin already broken, guessing from the stinging pain that assaulted him. He felt numb as the sharp edge of the blade sunk further into his stomach, shredding his intestines. "_ _ **You deserve to die**_ _" the man spat out as he towered over him. His face had been so deformed by his hatred that Yami couldn't identify any of his features. He was just a shadow. At that thought, a dull pain thumped in his chest, more painful than the pain in his gut. Even though he took over for Naruto whenever the villagers chose to act on their malicious feelings, Yami could no longer bear it. The man wasn't even ready for the vindictive, bitter smile that Yami chose to carve out on Naruto's face. He would show them what true darkness looked like._

 _"_ _ **Playing God, are we?" Yami asked, blood dripping down from the corners of his mouth to stain tan skin.**_ _The man, who had been so shaken from the image, dropped his hand, the same one that had once wrapped around the handle of the knife that was currently poking out of his stomach. "_ _ **I may deserve to die, but when I do, I'll just see you in hell"**_ _Yami wheezed out, his eyes momentarily flashing red in the dim light of the alley way the man had cornered him in. The weight of his actions, of seeing the six year old boy, broken and bleeding had shattered something deep within the man's psyche. Yami laughed as he watched the babbling fool dart out of the garbage infested alley, the laugh as dark as what he had been conceived in._

* * *

" _ **How many times have I been through this?"**_ _Yami asked himself, watching the crowd that had gathered outside Naruto's apartment. As soon as he had noticed the brewing trouble, he had switched places with the livelier blonde, just as he had always done. The entire reason for his existence was to shelter Naruto from the hurt, to bear the pain that he encountered in his life. Even though Naruto would recollect all the wrongs that were committed against him, the true horror, the brunt of those memories belonged to Yami. After all, even though the body may momentarily forget the aches inflicted on it, the mind was different. It never forgot, and always remembered. Therefore, some years ago, Yami decided he could be the keeper of such memories; after all he was the dark to Naruto's light._

* * *

 _"_ _ **Is there a God out there?"**_ _Yami found himself thinking one night. He was lying on his back, in a puddle of his own blood. Already, he could feel the injured lung collapsing on itself, making it difficult for him to breathe. He could feel his head going light from the lack of oxygen; his heart had already doubled its pumping as well. Black dots edged his vision, and he could feel his other self whimper somewhere in the background, in that secret place he had hidden him. Was there a God? Would he answer if he called onto Him? Or would He turn His back on him just as the villagers had done? Would he receive salvation? Normally, Yami just like his counterpart was not religious but sometimes, in those moments when he had one foot in and out of death, he would ask that one question he was usually afraid to even think about. Would God save him? However the only answer he received was a continuous murkiness that threatened to swallow him alive. "_ _ **Am I not worth it?"**_ _he whispered, a lone tear trickling down his cheek. But the only one who answered him was the same person who had driven the sword into his body._

 _"_ **Die scum** _" was the only saving words bestowed onto him._

* * *

 _Yami watched as Naruto laughed with the old man, the one who had interfered, the one who had no right to tear Naruto away from him, that old man who had stolen the light from him. "_ _ **No"**_ _he screamed, as the other blonde swelled up with pride, with love. "_ _ **Get away from him**_ _" he cried. Little by little, as days turned into weeks, as weeks turned into months, as months turned into a year, Naruto started to forget him. He was drowning in the separation Naruto had placed between them as he no longer needed the darkness, as he no longer needed him. It was worse than any knife he had taken to the heart. "_ _ **Naruto, don't leave me here"**_ _he pleaded, curling into himself, but he already knew that it would go unheard, obscured by the new found happiness that Naruto had been blessed with._

Naruto gasped as he fell to his knees, clutching onto the wound that had already healed. Yami stood away from him, his face hidden. "Yami" he whispered, tears freely flowing from his face. Now he knew what the other version of himself was talking about.

" _ **Shut up, coward**_ " Yami said the last bravado he could hide behind. He didn't know why but when those words of sorry had slipped from Naruto's mouth, something in him wanted the other blonde to experience what he had been through. What he had hid, just so Naruto could be happy, just so he could leave Yami in the end. Yami, who was so lost within himself, didn't even notice when Naruto moved in front of him. Before he could say anything, Naruto placed his forehead on his.

"I understand" was more powerful than his apology had ever been. Yami closed his eyes, in an attempt to block all the emotions out. But they were for naught. He couldn't even stop the sobs from escaping him. Naruto hugged that wrecked part of himself.

" _ **You left me"**_ Yami desperately cried as he clung to him. The only reason why Yami could take all that he did was because he had Naruto. But when Naruto abandoned him, his light had disappeared out of his grasp...he broke under the pressure.

"I will never leave you again, Yami" Naruto promised, tears of his own wetting his face. He understood the wrongs he had committed against him. Yami said nothing, he didn't even react when his form shimmered and started to flutter into shards of light. He just clutched onto Naruto, as the black and red in his eyes bled into that of blue, a true mirror of Naruto's. As Yami was being returned to that one place he would find peace, he smiled at Naruto.

" _ **Thank you for coming back and saving me"**_ were the last parting words, Yami said to that one light he knew would always shine down on him.

* * *

T^T We will miss you Yami.

Coming up: The chunin exams.


	50. Chapter 46

Chapter forty six – Road to the Chunin exams

Disclaimer: The author claims no ownership of the series known as Naruto

A/N: We finally made it~!

* * *

"You think he's alright in there?" Tanaka asked Mother who had chosen that time to lean against the wall.

"The boy's strong, he'll pull through" Mother said and Tanaka was going to say something but stopped mid way when Naruto stood up. The wolf huffed at the rue smile on Mother's face. Wiping his face, the blonde turned to them with a smile of his own. "So, how was it?" she asked, pushing herself off the wall. The blonde looked down at his hands and then back at her.

"We came to an understanding" Naruto said and she arched an eyebrow at him. She could hear the sadness in his voice.

"That doesn't sound like winning to me" Tanaka said with a wry chuckle. Naruto didn't even glance at him.

"Because that's all he needed" Mother said, walking over to him. She gave him a rough pat to the head and he nodded. "Now that we've gotten that handled, I think it's time you got some rest" she said, leaving for the door.

"Wait!" he shouted, almost tripping over his own feet. She stopped and he said "I need answers".

"To what questions? You haven't asked her anything" Tanaka snidely said and Mother just placed her hand out, ordering him to be quiet.

"You want to know about your parents. You wish to know more about that burden you were forced to bear" Mother said, and Naruto who had grabbed up his jacket, nodded.

"Yes" he said, placing his mesh shirt on. "I need to know who I am. I need to know about this thing inside of me" he whispered.

"And once you know, young Uzumaki, what will you do?" Mother asked, turning to him. "What would you do once you've found out about what resides in that seal of yours?" she added, nodding her head to his stomach where the seal was seemingly tattooed.

"I would..." he said but stopped himself. "I would shoulder this pain as Yami did" he softly said, placing his hand on his stomach. She arched an eyebrow and after a few seconds of silence, she smiled.

"Very well, once your exams are over you'll receive your answers" Mother said and at his confused face, she chuckled.

"What exams are you talking about?" he asked ready to run after her but she disappeared in thin air.

"It's no use, boy" Tanaka said, sitting on his hind legs to stare at him. "She's stubborn as a mule, even when she was young" he added.

"You knew her when she was young?" Naruto asked, placing his clothes back on. Tanaka chuckled.

"Of course I did" Tanaka said and studied his face. "You remind me of her in a way" he added.

"Me?" Naruto asked and Tanaka seemed to mull over some thoughts before sighing at him. "What?" he added.

"Nothing" Tanaka said and he was going to leave as well but decided to stay a little while longer, so he could warn him. "A little advice kid" he said and Naruto looked at him. "Now that you've achieved true inner peace, you know what that means, right?" he asked.

"Yeah" Naruto mumbled and Tanaka nodded.

"Good. At least you know" Tanaka said and pattered over to him. "Things more evil than that baka fox inside of you, will be heading your way, Uzumaki" he added before he returned to wherever it was he came from.

* * *

"How long are we supposed to wait here?" Sakura whined leaning against the bridge they were currently awaiting their very late sensei.

"Knowing Hatake-sensei, it's going to be awhile" Naruto mumbled as he sat down on the ground.

"It seems like you don't have a good impression of me, Naruto-kun~" Kakashi spoke as he approached in lazy strides.

"You're late" Sakura gritted and Sasuke followed up with a glare of his own. Kakashi raised his hands in the air whilst eye smiling at them.

"Maa, you see I had the misfortune of crossing paths with a green turtle that kept pestering me for a race" Kakashi said. Naruto snorted, Sasuke "hnned" and Sakura clenched her fists, ready to punch the man to a pulp. "You three don't believe me, do you?" he asked.

"What gave us away, I wonder?" Sasuke asked and only received a ruffle of the head. Kakashi was forced to remove his head, as a kunai was sent his way.

"What did I say about attacking your sensei, naughty boy?" Kakashi asked and Sasuke was ready to pulverize him.

"Can you please tell us why we're here? If you should know, you're wasting our time" Sakura said, with a sigh. All the three males turned her way, each of their eyebrows raised. Usually she would have loudly admonished their teacher. "I'm tired" she said with pink cheeks once Sasuke's eyes were on her. "I was up late doing some research" she confessed at their curious gazes.

"Well that's new...and unexpected" Kakashi said and then clapped his hands, effectively surprising them. "Onto more pressing matters" he chirped as he took out three slips of paper before each handing them out to his students. "The chunin exams are coming up and I've nominated you all" he said.

"The chunin exams?!" Sakura shrieked and Kakashi was certain it wasn't out of excitement.

"Yes" he said and his playful demeanor vanished, causing for the present genin to straighten up. "This will be a completely different playing field, as genin from the other shinobi villages will be attending this year's exams which is taking place in Konoha" he said, and he could already see how Sasuke's eyes lit up at the prospect of fighting strong opponents. "This exam is not to be taken lightly you three. Because one wrong move can mean **death** " his words skated across their skins. "More than ever, you all will have to rely on team work. You will have to look out for your comrades just as they will have to look out for you" he said, allowing for his words to sink in. He knew that they had gotten closer in the Land of Waves, but this chunin exams was on another level. Unlike the Konoha genin they had that year, the other hidden villages had rather sadistic genin from what he had heard (his Anbu contacts). When he was certain they understood what he meant, he eye smiled at them. No matter what, he thought, the brats will be fine. "And with that, Sensei wishes you good luck and good bye!" he chirped before disappearing.

"This is really happening, isn't it?" Sakura whispered, looking at Naruto and Sasuke for confirmation.

"We just need to listen to Hatake-sensei and we'll be alright" Naruto said as he stood up. "I hope" he made sure to add. However the two boys were so preoccupied with themselves, they didn't even see Sakura's hands shaking.

* * *

"The chunin exams" Naruto whispered as he walked down the street. He knew he should be excited about getting his chance at moving up in the shinobi ranks, but from what Anko-sensei had told him about them, he knew it would mean...He shook his head of such thoughts when his mind ran on his purple haired teacher. When he got back to the village, he hadn't seen the woman. According to the Sandaime, she was commissioned on a special assignment, and wouldn't be back until tomorrow. "But that means I won't be able to see her because tomorrow the chunin exams begins" he whispered to himself.

"Naruto-nii!" a high pitched voice shouted and when he turned, he watched as Konohamaru as well as two other kids his age ran up to him. Wearing similar shinobi gear he was wearing before he had been given his current coat.

"I like the clothes" Naruto said and Konohamaru with a pleased look on his face blushed. "And who are these two?" he asked.

"Boss, these are my friends, Moegi and Udon!" Konohamaru shouted. Naruto chuckled and placed a hand on his head.

"Good for you, little monkey" Naruto said and Konohamaru's eyes widened at the nickname.

"Oh, is he related to you, Naruto?" Sakura asked a cheeky grin on her face. Naruto snorted as she laughed. The events of the Land of Waves had managed to repair the little friendship they had left and whenever Sakura looked at him, there was no longer the underlying guilt in her eyes.

"Very funny" Naruto said and Sakura stood beside him to study the kids in front of them. "Konohamaru, Udon, Moegi, this is Sakura, my team mate" he added.

"Wow, you're very pretty" Moegi said and Sakura turned red. Naruto snorted again, only to receive a light nudge in the ribs from the girl.

"Is she your?" Konohamaru asked, raising his pinky finger. The three younger kids watched as Naruto and Sakura turned to each other before vigorously shaking their heads at the same time. "That's okay, because my Naruto-nii wouldn't like someone with a forehead that big!" he shouted and laughed as Sakura ran after him. They were running around for a few seconds in a circle, before Konohamaru bumped into a boy wearing a black cat suit.

"Watch where you're going, brat" the boy wearing war paint barked before pulling Konohamaru off the floor and into the air by the front of his clothes.

"Already making friends I see, Kankuro" a blonde girl with four pig tails said as she approached.

"Shut up, Temari" the boy identified as Kankuro said before looking at a frightened Konohamaru who was still in his grasp. "Listen up kid, if you apologize, maybe then I'll let you go. I promise I won't beat you up….too bad" he added with a laugh.

"Wow, you're so tough" Naruto said, and even Sakura was taken aback by the frigid tone the blonde had adopted. Tension zipped in the air as Naruto took off his hood to reveal equally as cold eyes. "How weak do you have to be, to go around picking on little kids who can't defend themselves?" he asked.

"What did you say, blondie?" Kankuro asked, dropping Konohamaru who scampered to safety: behind Sakura.

"You heard me" Naruto said, his hands in his pockets yet his body was tense. "I called you weak" he whispered, a smile as sinister as his tone appeared on his face.

"Kankuro" Temari called after her brother who was ready to pull out one of his puppets. Luckily (or not), Gaara appeared in a whirl of sand.

"Enough" the red head said, and the blonde's eyes narrowed. Unlike most, he couldn't hear any sound from the red haired boy's chakra, like he normally did. In fact, he could barely feel it but the little that he did feel, felt like death itself. "You're a disgrace, Kankuro" he added to the boy who seemed to be shivering.

"At least you've trained him" Naruto chuckled and the red head's icy gaze turned to him. "Next time, keep your little kitty there in check" he added only for the red head to smirk. Naruto watched as Gaara raised his hand, seemingly towards Naruto only for a rock to stop that pale hand.

"I'm guessing that boy in the bushes belongs to your team" Gaara said, motioning to the side. Sasuke, despite where his previous hiding place was, strode towards them with grace only the Uchiha seemed to achieve.

"And you are?" Sasuke asked taking his place beside Sakura and Naruto. "You do know that you were ready to attack genin of Konoha right? And that boy there, he's the Sandaime's grandson" he added, watching as horror etched its way on Kankuro's face. Gaara on the other hand just smirked.

"Interesting" the red head said before glancing at his siblings. "It's time we took our leave" he added but not before pausing to stare at the three. "And you all are?" he asked.

"Team seven" Sasuke spoke up, causing his fellow team mates to smile. "And you?" he asked.

"Gaara of the Sand" the red head said, turning his back on them. "Try not to die, Team seven" and with that, the siblings left.

* * *

Additional notes: O.O Sasuke-kun has grown up, hasn't he? Aw~

So anyway, to LordGhostStriker: Nah…..I decided not to change Naruto's hair or eye color…though your question gave me an idea, so thanks. As for why: I thought that when Yami's eyes turned from red to blue, it sort of symbolized (to me anyway) that good had won and it was why in canon, Naruto's eyes remained the same. So I kept it as is.

HOWEVER, if Yami had won, now that is a different thing. I think that Naruto's eyes would turn from blue to red….or something like that…

As for the hair…I already plan to let Naruto learn seals…add red hair to that and you would get most of the fan fiction written about a fuinjutsu Naruto, a path I want to avoid. As a result the hair is a no go for now. Doesn't mean I wouldn't change it though…maybe…but if I do, it's probably not going to be red. (I can already see some of you asking: If not red or blonde, what other color is there?) I don't know myself, but hey, something might come up, you never know.

To tacticalkiller7: Thanks. I'm just glad you enjoyed it.


	51. Chapter 47

Chapter forty seven- Start of the chunin exams

Disclaimer: No my bros…I don't own Naruto

* * *

That Night

Naruto, sitting on his window still, stared out at the night's sky, his thoughts on the chunin exams. He didn't know why but ever since Kakashi told him about their nomination and having met those mysterious siblings, an unease had settled over him. Maybe he was just nervous he convinced himself but somehow, he doubted that was the problem. Sighing, he leaned against the wall, when he heard someone call his name. Without waiting he had a kunai out. Even though he knew an enemy wouldn't call out to him, he knew he couldn't take a chance. However, when he turned, his eyes widened as Ko was plopped onto his bed in a puff. "What...Ko-chan, what are you doing here?" Naruto asked as the little cub rushed into his arms with a laugh.

"The Leader sent me" Ko said, and Naruto frowned. "There's something you must hear" he added before the blonde was sent to the world of tigers, not really given a choice in the matter.

* * *

Naruto woke up in the dojo, the last one he had been in, only to see Takao, the High Elder, the Leader and Chie staring at him. "What is going on?" he asked.

"We have a fortune for you" the High Leader said, making a gesture for him to stand up.

"Do you remember what I told you in that forest some time ago?" Chie asked and at the nod, she continued "Members of the Tora clan can look into a person's fortune and the Leader has looked into yours"

"You did?" Naruto asked, his throat drier than it was before. The Leader nodded, though he didn't look him in the eyes.

"Come forward boy" Hisao spoke and despite the edge of his voice, his eyes were softened to the point that Naruto could almost mistake it for concern. "What I'm about to tell you is only for your ears" the tiger said and Naruto didn't like the way the lights around them flickered. "You and your friends are in danger" allowed for fright to glide across his face. "In the near future, you'll meet a large snake, one which will place its mark on your friend, the one with inky hair and sullen expression" Hisao said, starting to pace a little.

"Sounds like Sasuke" Naruto said to himself but Hisao wasn't listening to him as he continued.

"He will also curse you, but unlike your friend, yours may be removed" Hisao said, gazing out at the night's sky. "You and your team will be crushed by this snake. Your friend will betray you so much so, that it will leave a hole in your chest, right near your heart" he added.

"That's..." the words were so meshed together that he couldn't finish his own sentence. He looked at the Leader whose hostility towards him seemed to lessen by whatever he saw.

"The leaf will tremble under the snake's bite" Hisao said, unable to look at Naruto again. "I've seen it, Naruto" Hisao said, and Naruto clenched his fists. "Through your own eyes none the less" he whispered and opened out his hand, the pink flame came to life in his palm. Naruto didn't even have time to react as Hisao blew the flame into his face.

* * *

 _Naruto found himself in a place he didn't recognize. When the leader had blown the flame into his face, he had braced himself for the pain, but instead of getting hurt, he felt like he had been pushed out of his body, only to wake up in a war zone. There were kunai and shuriken scattered everywhere, the streets were washed with dry and stale blood while the buildings around him had been reduced to nothing but piles of rubble. Before he could investigate where he was, he saw it. A bloodied version of himself was standing in front of a man whose face he couldn't see properly. "You…." The other Naruto hissed, but before he could attack, he fell to his knees, clutching his chest._

" _Do you fear me now boy?" the man asked, wisps of long black hair whipped against the breeze that blew between them._

" _I will never fear you" the other Naruto smirked, blood running down the corners of his mouth. "I fucking hate you" he admitted, coughing up more blood. The man laughed._

" _I will make you fear me just as Minato had" the man said before he slunk into the earth, disappearing from their sight. Present Naruto watched the other version of himself stare out at the distance and he knew then, where this was. This was Konoha like he had never seen before. Corpses of men and women were all he could see as he hobbled forward, those who had died where they stood, was a reminder to them all at how close they were to defeat._

" _Oro-!" the other version of himself started to scream but he never got to hear it, seeing as he was returned to the present._

Snapping out of whatever trance the flame had placed him in, Naruto found himself kneeling before the large tigers. Hisao, the one who had seen the vision as well, shared his sentiment. "I can't let that happen!" Naruto snarled, not even caring that he had bit his lower lip so hard, that the skin broke under his canine teeth. "I won't" he breathed out.

"No one can defy destiny, young cub. Not even me" the Leader whispered as he looked at the human child. "You can only prepare yourself for when it comes"

* * *

Finding himself unable to sleep, led him in front of Riku's dango store. Flashes of the destroyed buildings in the future, caused him to wince. He needed to make sure that everything was okay. "It's going to be fine" he whispered to himself but he knew it was a lie deep down in his heart. He didn't know how long he had been standing there, staring at the store, but he knew it was maybe around midnight. Which meant that Ami and Riku would be fast asleep upstairs. They were safe...For now, his subconscious mocked. As he turned to leave, the front door opened. "Are you going to come inside?" Riku asked and Naruto froze.

"How did you know I was here?" Naruto asked as he finally turned around. Riku smiled and beckoned him inside.

"Because I was never asleep" Riku said as they sat down near one of the tables. "I heard from Saturobi about the chunin exams" he confessed.

"Oh, so he told you" Naruto said and Riku crossed his arms across his chest. "I was going to tell you…but then..." he said but couldn't finish his sentence.

"It's okay, Naruto. I knew that you didn't want to worry us, but you're forgetting that we're your family. It's our job to worry" Riku said.

"I know but I never want to become a burden to you and Ami-chan" Naruto whispered and Riku sighed. "Old man?" he asked and Riku took out a little draw string bag from his pocket.

"This was something I planned on giving you tomorrow, but since you're here, I'll give you it now" he said and Naruto could see the kanji for charm etched on the paper on front of the bag. "It may not be much, but this is the only protection I can offer you" he added.

"It's enough" Naruto said as he stared at it. He smiled and Riku chuckled as he patted his head.

"Now, how about some tea?" he asked and Naruto couldn't help but thank the heavens that he had someone like Riku as his family. So that was why he would protect them with all of his might. He was not going to let that vision come true.

* * *

The next day

Naruto hardly got any sleep because once he closed his eyes, the Leader's words and the images that he had seen kept him awake. Stepping out of his apartment, he locked the door. "The snake" he whispered as he eyed his key.

"What are you talking about?" someone asked and when he looked behind him, Anko was staring at him.

"Anko-sensei!" he shouted and she smiled. "What are you doing here? I thought you had a mission or something?" he asked.

"I did, I just managed to finish earlier than I thought" she said, eyeing him. "Did you think your sensei would let you go into that exam room without a little pep talk?" she asked, placing her hand around his shoulders.

"I know you, Anko-sensei. You don't do pep talks" Naruto said and she laughed as they walked down the stairs.

"You've got that right" Anko said with a smirk. "What I really came to do, was to give you a heads up" she said, staring straight at the road ahead of them as they walked to where he was to meet up with the rest of his team. "I'll give it to you straight, gaki. In that exam, whether you're aware of it or not, blood will be shed" she said, causing sweat to roll down his face.

"I'm aware" he grumbled. She nodded.

"All I've got to do is keep your kunai steady, okay?" she asked and when she turned to him, he could see the promise in her eyes. Despite the fact that they fought with each other before he had left for the Land of Waves, she had been the one to approach him. The least he could do was promise her in return.

"I will" he said, and placed his pinky out. She stopped, looked at the finger and then at his face.

"What the hell is that?" she asked, poking his finger a little. He smirked and raised it a little.

"Pinky promise. Come on" he said and she chuckled.

"You're such a kid" she said, yet the jounin wrapped her own pinky around his.

* * *

"Look at you, my little cherry blossom" her father said, as she stood outside the door of her house. She had decided to rid herself of her red dress, wore her hair in a bun, opting for a mesh shirt underneath a zipped up jacket. It was a sleeveless, burgundy high collar jacket, with two red stripes running down the front. The jacket went past her waist, all the way to her hips. She wore black pants, with bandages that ran from her knees to her ankles and black sandals. There was a black belt strapped across her waist as well. "You look almost like a real shinobi" he said, as she fastened her leaf headband on her arm.

"I am a REAL shinobi, dad" she said with a roll of her eyes. However her father could only grab her in a bone crushing hug. "Dad?" she asked.

"Just be safe out there, okay?" he whispered and she nodded, watching her mother who was standing far off with tears in her eyes.

"I will" she said as her mother mouthed the words "I love you".

* * *

Unknown to Sakura, she wasn't the only one on Team seven that underwent a wardrobe change. One Uchiha Sasuke who was standing in front of his parents' shrine wore a long sleeved blue, Chinese styled jacket accompanied with a mesh shirt and a pair of dark grey shinobi pants that stopped up to his knees. "You'll be able to rest in peace soon, Mother, Father" he prayed and with a bow, he set off to avenge the pride which had been stolen from his clan.

* * *

"You two are looking sharp" Naruto was the first to comment about the changes in his team mates. Sasuke stared at Sakura who blushed under their gazes. "It's good" the blonde decided.

"Like I need you to tell me" Sasuke huffed and Naruto flipped him his middle finger before staring at the building in front of him. He couldn't help but shake that forlorn feeling tugging at his innards.

"No matter what, we look after each other" Naruto said, placing his hand out towards his team mates.

"Seems like Kakashi's words got to you, dobe" Sasuke teased but placed his hand on his nonetheless. "Sakura?" he asked, and even Naruto could see the light blush on the Uchiha's face as the rosette looked at him.

"Y-yes" she said, placing her hands on theirs. "Protect one another" she said, looking at them and couldn't help the smile on her face.

"Let's go and conquer this exam" Naruto said, walking off. Behind the hood, a smile was poking free.

"Show off" Sakura called, but followed after him anyway.

* * *

Having entered the building, the crowds immediately parted a way for Team seven. They could feel some sort of camaraderie radiating around the three genin as they passed by, and the figure they were cutting made even in the disguised jounin edgy. "Let us through" a voice caught their attention. Some of the genin were standing in front of a door labeled "Room 301"...shouting about how they wanted to get through so they could take the exams.

"This is the chunin exams?" Sasuke asked, and all heads turned to him. "What a disappointment" he commented.

"You just had to make an attempt to look cool, ne Sasuke?" Naruto asked and Sasuke glared at him.

"Oh, and who are you?" one of the disguised examiners stepped forward. Sasuke shot him a smirk and Sakura who didn't know what to do, decided that she would observe from far.

"Someone who is not falling for that little trick of yours" Sasuke said, glancing at Sakura. "You see it don't you, Sakura?" he added and the rosette couldn't help but feel flattered at his praise. She smiled and looked at the sign.

"Genjutsu" she breathed out and Sasuke gave her a nod of approval. Naruto on the other hand, noticed Lee and Tenten in the distance.

"So you saw through it. Impressive" the disguised examiner said, as whispers started to surround the Uchiha and the rosette.

"Naruto-kun!" Lee shouted as he darted through the bodies that had accumulated in the hallway.

"Oi, Lee, slow down!" Tenten shouted after him but the green clad boy ignored her as he ran up to Naruto who braced himself for the impact that was Lee.

"You're here for the exams, too?" Lee asked as he gave him a fist bump and a thumb up. Naruto shook his head, happy to see his eccentric friend.

"Yeah, my team and I were nominated" Naruto said and nodded to Tenten that had joined up.

"You're better than I thought" Tenten said, as she placed her hands on her hips. "Congrats by the way" she added and Naruto chuckled.

"Are these your friends, Naruto?" Sakura asked, and waved at the girl she recognized as Tenten from before.

"Yeah, this is Rock Lee and Tenten" Naruto said. He watched as the smile slipped off Lee's face only to be replaced with fierce determination.

"You must be Haruno Sakura" he said, stepping forward. "A pleasure to meet your acquaintance, lovely cherry blossom" he added, and Naruto turned to Tenten who shrugged.

"You too, Lee-san" Sakura politely said, despite the goo goo eyes the boy was sending her.

"Don't even go there, Lee" Naruto said as he placed a hand on his shoulder. "That's your competition" he whispered and nodded to Sasuke who just folded his arms across his chest.

"Ah, yes. Uchiha Sasuke, I've heard about you" Lee said and Tenten sighed somewhere in the background. "In order to win the affections of such a beautiful maiden, allow me to fight you, Sasuke of the Uchiha clan" he added, taking his stance.

"Lee" someone else spoke up and emerging from the crowd was a long haired, pale eyed boy. "I thought we decided not to draw attention to ourselves" he added as he walked up to them.

"Neji..." Lee was saying but the other boy cut him off. Naruto didn't like the way this Neji was treating his friend.

"And picking a fight with these genin" Neji said, making sure they could see the sneer on his face as he looked at them.

"Shut up, Neji" Tenten huffed and the boy looked away. "Forgive him, he's suffering from what I call asshole syndrome" she added and Naruto snorted while Sakura giggled.

"Would you do me the honor, Uchiha Sasuke of fighting me?" Lee asked and Sasuke frowned.

"I don't that's such a good idea, Sasuke" Naruto spoke up and Neji looked at him. "Lee will kick your ass" he said and Sasuke just huffed while Lee shot him a grin.

"That weirdo over there will kick my ass?" Sasuke asked, jabbing his finger in Lee's direction.

"Sasuke-san, you should know that I'm one of the strongest Konoha genin right now" Lee said. Naruto could see how Sasuke's hands tightened and the way his body was tense with excitement.

"I accept your challenge" Sasuke announced and Naruto sighed. Of course he would.

* * *

Woohoo! Wardrobe changes for the rest of the members of Team seven, hurrah!


	52. Chapter 48

Chapter forty eight- Enemies

Disclaimer : We all know the obvious. No, I don't own Naruto because I am not Kishimoto-sensei.

* * *

"Sasuke, are you sure you want to go through with this?" Naruto asked as they stood in the unoccupied room. Naruto was standing next to Sakura who was trying her best to avoid Lee's love stricken gaze and kisses that were sent her way.

"Are you doubting me, dobe?" Sasuke asked as he rolled his shoulders. Naruto sighed and turned to Tenten who walked over to his side.

"The brat doesn't even know he's already lost" Tenten smirked as she looked at one cocky Uchiha Sasuke. Naruto shook his head at Tenten.

"You're not supposed to be enjoying this so much, you know" Naruto told her and she just folded her arms.

"That kid needs to be taught a lesson and who better than Lee to teach him?" Tenten asked and that was when Sakura finally joined in the conversation.

"Naruto, do you really think Sasuke-kun is going to lose?" she asked a little worried for her crush.

"I don't think so Sakura. I know so" Naruto said, and Sakura shivered at his words.

* * *

Sasuke stood in front of Lee who was bouncing on his heels. He hated the confidence that came from that green clad boy, almost like he knew that Sasuke didn't have a chance. That in itself was enough to make Sasuke angry. Didn't this freak know who he was? He was Uchiha F*king Sasuke. Rookie of the Year. Official Badass. He smirked to himself and got into his stance. "You're going to regret this" Sasuke proudly said while Lee just smiled at him.

"I should be the one saying that, Sasuke-kun" Lee said. Unable to restrain his emotions, Sasuke charged towards the other boy, ready to punch him when Lee disappeared. Sasuke veered to a stop, his eyes desperately searching for him. "Konoha Senpu" Lee annotated as he appeared above Sasuke, a high kick aimed towards him. Sasuke's eyes widened before he dodged, though another kick was sent his way, this time it was low.

"Shit" Sasuke thought and couldn't avoid the hit. He crashed backwards into the wall, his face throbbing with pain.

"Sasuke-kun" Sakura whispered, fear and awe in her eyes. She hadn't even seen when the other boy had moved. Lee fell to the ground in a crouch, his hands goading Sasuke.

"Is that the best you can do, Uchiha-san?" Lee asked and Sasuke gritted his teeth as he stood up. The other boy had managed to slip under his guard.

"I guess I'll have to bring THAT out" Sasuke said, wiping the corner of his face, his Sharingan already activated.

"Just like Kaka-sensei's" Sakura muttered and Sasuke grinned. While Sakura's faith was restored, Tenten just chuckled.

"Raw speed vs the copying doujutsu, which will win?" she commented and Naruto sighed at her.

"You will not win, Uchiha-san" Lee said and Sasuke just snorted as he rushed towards him once more.

"Go Sasuke-kun!" Sakura chanted and Naruto couldn't help but feel sorry for the girl. It was just as Lee said, the boy would not win.

"Stay down, Uchiha-san" Lee muttered and with a front kick, Sasuke was propelled across the room AGAIN.

"Sasuke-kun" Sakura whispered, the hope she had long gone. Sasuke sat up, his Sharingan narrowed.

"Even when I could see him, I couldn't avoid his attack" Sasuke thought through clenched teeth.

"You can't keep up with his speed. Even if you can see him, it won't make a difference" Tenten said and Naruto couldn't believe how much the girl was enjoying it all.

"I won't be beaten!" Sasuke shouted and with blind rage, he lunged towards Lee. The other genin calmly evaded the punch and kick, before he followed up with a right hook of his own. Sasuke felt when his ribs nearly broke with the impact as he was pushed backwards. "You…." he wheezed out, and Lee straightened up, his face blank.

"Today, I'll show you that a genius of hard work like myself has the means to defeat people like you, prodigies or those born with natural talent" Lee said and that was when Sasuke noticed that the boy had all but disappeared again only to reappear behind him. Sasuke couldn't even stop the kick. He could only feel as his body was shot upwards and into the air. "Kage…Bu…" Lee whispered, the bandages on his arms unwrapping themselves.

"No, not that technique" Tenten whispered and Naruto turned to her. "Lee, Gai-sensei will….!" She was shouting at her fellow team mate, when the end of a pinwheel toy caught the end of the bandage and jammed it to the wall. "Shit" she mumbled and Naruto arched an eyebrow as a giant turtle stepped forward.

"That's enough, Lee" the turtle spoke and while Team seven were miffed about the talking turtle, Tenten wasn't. Lee, though he wanted to finish off his fight, complied with the command and leapt away from Sasuke. Sakura was the only one who ran towards Sasuke as he fell to the ground on all fours, clutching his ribs.

"Baka, that technique is forbidden, didn't I tell you that?" the turtle scolded and Lee bowed his head as he knelt in front of him.

"Yes, you did" Lee said and Naruto's eyes widened. "I fully accept all consequences" he added.

"Very well. Gai-sensei, you will take care of the rest" the turtle said and with a puff, the eccentric man emerged.

"Gai-sensei!?"Naruto shouted and the man laughed as he stood majestically on the turtle. "Where…How….What?!" he added.

"It's good to see you again, Naruto-kun!" the man said as he flipped off the turtle and landed in front of Naruto. "You've grown my boy" he added and shot him a thumbs up. Naruto nervously laughed while Sakura and Sasuke had yet to adjust to the man's…oddities. "Now, Lee!" he shouted and turned towards one of his pupils. Lee immediately approached him only to receive a punch. Even the blonde's mouth dropped open while Tenten's eye twitched. She watched as her sensei knelt in front of Lee who had gotten up from the blow.

"Sensei" Lee whispered, his eyes watery as both sensei and student stared at each other. Tenten who was already accustomed to such a sight, knew exactly what that meant. Tenten placed her hand over her eyes and told Naruto to do the same.

"Look away right now!" Tenten hissed as the sunset already descended in the background, behind Lee and Gai-sensei.

"It's okay, Lee. You don't have to say anything more" Gai said and Lee raced into his sensei's arms.

Naruto shivered as shouts of "Lee!" "Gai-sensei!" echoed across the room, while his team mates shrieked like they were burnt. When it was deemed safe, Tenten and Naruto finally looked, only to find his team mates, twitching on the ground and foaming from the mouth. "It really warms my heart, this youth" Gai said as he wiped his eyes. "Now, as a result of breaking your promise, Lee, you will run five hundred laps!" he shouted and Lee saluted his teacher.

"Yes sir~!" he replied and started to jog in place. "Tenten, let's go meet up with Neji!" he called after his team mate who was speaking to her teacher.

"See ya later, Naruto" Tenten said and with a quick smirk to Sasuke who bristled, she left with her team mate.

"I think you three should get going as well" Gai said and they froze as the man stood behind them. They turned and Gai smirked. "It was nice meeting you three. Kakashi must be proud of having such a strong team" he commented and Sakura as well as Sasuke's eyes widened.

"You know Kaka-sensei?" Sakura asked and Gai's smile widened. "What?" she asked and the man just chuckled.

"You could say that Kakashi and I are eternal rivals!" he declared and Naruto resisted the urge to sigh. The man hadn't changed.

"Eternal….rivals?" the concept lost to one Uchiha Sasuke. Gai nodded and patted their heads.

"Indeed. When you see the man, tell him I said hello" he said and with a wink their way, he disappeared just as he came. In a blur.

"You heard that weirdo, let's go" Sasuke said and Sakura turned to Naruto who shrugged. They were positive that the boy would go all 'Sasuke' on them, seeing as he lost the battle. However, apparently, it only spiked his interest and reeved him up. "This exams seem like fun" he added and Sakura shared a smirk with Naruto. It seemed like their team mate had indeed changed, seeing as he was satisfied with the outcome of his previous fight, even though he lost.

"Yosh, let's go!" Naruto shouted and they marched forward together as a team.

* * *

Having arrived at the correct room, they were met with the eye smile of one Hatake Kakashi. "Sensei, what are you doing here?" Sakura was the first to ask.

"Well, Sakura, I decided that I would wish you three good luck before the exam started" he said, ruffling their heads.

"We don't need luck, Kakashi" Sasuke said with a snort and Kakashi rolled his eye at him.

"If you say so my trusty student" Kakashi said and placed his Icha Icha away. "I know I've said this before, but I want you all to be careful out there, do you hear me?" he asked and they nodded. "Well, that's it! Go on and do your sensei proud!" he chirped.

* * *

After having spoken with Kakashi-sensei, Sakura lagged behind her team mates who already entered the room. "Sakura, a moment" the jounin said and she turned to him. "I'm glad that you chose to enter the exams with your team mates" he added with an eye smile.

"Sensei" Sakura said, staring at her hands. "What would have happened if I didn't enter with Sasuke-kun and Naruto?" she asked.

"Then they wouldn't have been able to partake in the chunin exams because only a team of three can enter" Kakashi said, watching the shock that passed across her face. "That's why I said I'm proud of you, Sakura. You stood up to your own fears and faced them head on" he said, placing a gloved hand on her head. "You're stronger than you think, Sakura, otherwise those boys wouldn't have recognized you as their team mate" he added, as he stepped back. Sakura looked up at him, but before she could say anything, Naruto and Sasuke walked back out.

"Sakura, you coming?" Naruto asked.

"Yes!" she said and jogged over to the door but paused. "Thanks, Kaka-sensei" she smiled at him before disappearing inside with her team mates.

"They'll need you more than ever, Sakura. Look after them" Kakashi whispered and with a swirl of leaves, left.

* * *

"Sasuke-kun~" was the first thing Sakura heard as she entered, only to witness as Ino attached herself to her crush's back like the leech she was.

"Troublesome, so you all were nominated as well" Shikamaru said but didn't look at Naruto. The blonde was leaning against the wall, with the hood of his coat up.

"Of course we were nominated" Sakura said, her confidence finally back in its place. "Ino-pig, get off of Sasuke-kun" she shouted and her rival slunk off the Uchiha's back so she could take in her new appearance.

"Well, well, well. It looks like you got an upgrade, forehead" Ino said and Sakura rolled her eyes.

"It's true then, we're all here. With this, the rookie nine are back baby" Kiba said, as he approached with a prideful gait. "Whoa, is that you Sasuke? Sakura?" he asked.

"Troublesome" Shikamaru muttered while Chouji ate his chips. He watched as the Hyuga girl approached Naruto, the only who refused to join their little group.

"N-Naruto-kun" Hinata said and for the first time, Naruto took off his hood. "H-how are you?" she asked, and at his raised eyebrows, she blushed.

"I'm good" he said a smile on his face that only served to make the girl even redder. "What about you?" he asked.

"G-great!" she shouted and he ruffled her hair. At the gesture, she dug her face deeper into her jacket in an attempt to hide herself.

"Good" he said, watching as a contented smile plastered its way on her face. However, as they were having their own conversation, he noticed that a grey haired boy with round glasses had joined Rookie nine, showing them some sort of cards.

"Gaara of the Sand" the boy, Kabuto as he found out the boy's name was a veteran shinobi who had taken the genin exams a few times before. "He's done eight C ranks and has a B-ranked mission under his belt even though he's just a genin" he read from the card. "Because this is his first time entering the exam, I don't even a lot of information on him. However, I can say this though. All of his missions were completed without a single scratch on his body. He always returned to Suna unharmed" he said. The remaining genin stared at the boy with a mixture of shock and awe. Some were even losing their confidence.

"Is that supposed to scare us?" Naruto asked, loudly enough so that the other genin were listening. "I could care less about those sorts of things" he added.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kabuto hissed at him, but blinked in confusion when Sasuke and Sakura stood behind their team mate. "Are you trying to get yourselves killed?" he asked, but they completely and utterly ignored him.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto" the blonde said, stepping forward so the entire room could get a good look at him. Even Gaara seemed interested in the sadistic smile on the blonde's face.

"I'm Uchiha Sasuke" the pale boy said, joining his team mate, smirking as some of the occupants recognized who he was.

"I'm Haruno Sakura" the rosette said, rising to the challenge. She couldn't have the boys hogging all the spot light as Inner Sakura insisted.

"And we're here to kick all your asses" Naruto said, reveling in the spike of killing intent. Sasuke grinned and Sakura despite her nerves, shot them a peace sign. Shikamaru, who was standing off on the side, just as flabbergasted as the rest of Rookie nine, could only gape at Team seven. Kabuto smirked and pushed his glasses further up his nose.

"I see" he said, and the attention was back on him once more. "There are more talented genin in this exam than I thought" he said with a smile on his face, yet the gesture didn't quite make it to either Sasuke or Naruto. "I wouldn't expect anything less from the Great Konoha, one of the Big Five" he added. "However" he said, pausing to look at the team with headbands marked with a music symbol. "There are a lot of genin who come from smaller villages, like the Hidden Village of Sound. They're a village from a small country that was recently formed, so I don't have much information or confidence in them" he snidely spoke, his glasses glinting with evil content. Sasuke, having caught a rust of motion approaching them at high speed, forced chakra to his eyes, effectively activating the Sharingan. He could see the Oto Nin. He sent a subtle nod to Naruto who took the hint. The blonde grabbed the bespectacled boy by the collar and threw him towards Sakura. Without even knowing, the pink haired girl had already picked up on her team mates' plan as well. She took out her kunai and stepped in front of Kabuto while Naruto already had his blade under Dosu's neck, another targeted at Dosu's stomach, stopping the Oto nin before he could attack. (Yeah his sound waves move was avoided)

"Don't even think about it" Sasuke spoke, the shuriken that was sent towards Kabuto, was scattered in front of him (he had deflected them without the others even seeing).

"Shit" Shikamaru whispered and his fellow Leaf Nin turned towards his direction but he was too focused on that one team which seemed to outshine all the rest of occupants in the room. "How the hell are we supposed to compete with THAT?" he asked.

"Now that's my students" Kakashi chuckled and the other jounin sensei could only stare wide mouthed. "It seems like the chunin exams this year will be more exciting than I originally thought" he hummed just as Ibiki and the rest of examiners puffed into the room.

* * *

A/N: Oh snap. Team seven is in the chunin exams to kick some ass, people. ^.^ I was excited when writing this chapter because I felt like Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura have grown not only by themselves but as a team. Aw shucks...my kids are all grown up and threatening people...I can only imagine how Kaka-sensei feels.

To Nycooldog: Oh, white is an excellent idea. Thank you...If I'm changing his hair color, that would be on top of the list.

To LordGhostStriker: You're right. It's a sad but true reality.

To troutman 30: Thanks my good sir.


	53. Chapter 49

Chapter forty nine – The first phase! Morino Ibiki appears!

Disclaimer: I do not...Meh...finish it yourselves

* * *

The killing intent as thick as plasma rolled across the room, spreading further as Team seven made a show of their immunity against the glares directed their way. However before the tension could further, the man with scars across his face slammed his fist on the black board, effectively capturing their attention. He wore a black bandana on his head and matching trench coat. The loud thumps his feet made as he walked seemed to reverberate through the room. "Settle down maggots!" the large man commanded and the killing intent vanished. "I will be your first proctor, Morino Ibiki" he said with a smile, one that caused little kids nightmares. "Now before we can start the first exam of the Chunin Selection Exam, hand in your applications" he barked before stopping to show a numbered tag to the classroom. "Take one of these and sit where it tells you to so we can administer the written portion of the exam" he finished.

"Written?" someone randomly shouted and a glare from Ibiki immediately shut him as well as others up.

"Yes, written. Now get moving!" he shouted, chuckling as they scampered away.

* * *

"I'm glad that you all can at least follow through with instructions" Ibiki commented as he looked at the seated genin. "Before we start we must establish a few rules and I implore you to listen because I don't take any questions" he added, stepping forward. "First rule: You're given ten points at the start of this exam" he said.

"Wah, ten points?" someone chose to ask, and that warranted for a glare full of daggers directed his way.

"What did I just say? I don't take questions so take your head out of your ass and listen!" Ibiki shouted, throwing a piece of chalk to the person who was dumb enough to ask, effectively knocking him unconscious. Needless to say, most of the genin there were scared of the scarred man. "Humph, idiot" he muttered and he reveled in the shivers he got as his eyes swept across the room. "As I was saying, you're all granted ten points at the start. This written portion of the exam is made up of ten questions, each question worth one point. I should add that this is a deduction based test" he said, pausing. He dared anyone to ask a question and when no one did, he smirked. "What this means is that if you get one question wrong, a point will be deducted" he said so the information could fully sink in. "Second rule: the decision of whether you pass or fail will be decided by the points your team has gathered. In order words, if anyone from your team fails, so does the entire team" he said, waiting for chaos to ensure and it did. "Shut up!" was released when the complaints got too loud. "There's a reason for the second rule, so just quiet down. Third rule: if the examiners catch you cheating, then two points will be deducted. Do you know what that means? That means, my cute little genin, that people in this room will be forced to leave without even having their tests graded" he said watching as some began to panic. "You're all shinobi in here so I expect you all to act like it" he slammed his fist on the black board again. "Now begin!" he shouted and without wasting another minute, they got to work on the papers that were already handed out to them.

* * *

"These questions..." Sakura thought to herself before glancing at both Naruto and Sasuke. "...are really hard" she whispered. Though the questions were difficult, she knew she had the ability to get most correct but what worried her was the rest of her team mates. **"They've proven that they can take care of themselves. All you need to do is focus on that test in front of you and worry about them later!"** Inner Sakura shouted and Sakura frowned but listened anyway. She had a test to ace.

* * *

"The parabola B represents a shuriken's maximum throwing distance of the enemy..." Naruto read but slowly came to a halt. "What the hell is this shit?" he pondered, unknown to the watching eyes of the Hyuga that sat beside him.

* * *

"Well this is no good" Sasuke contemplated, as he clasped his hands in front of his face. "I don't have a clue as to how to even begin this test" he thought, his eyes roving all over the classroom. Guessing from Naruto's defeated form neither did his team mate. "Damn it" he hissed under his breath. "How are we supposed to ace this exam, if Naruto and I don't even know the answers to this stupid test!" was shouted throughout his mind. "Wait, calm down, Sasuke. Don't lose your cool over a little paper like this" he chided, as he smiled to himself. "Get your head in the game, Sasuke. You can do this, if it's anyone who can pass this test, it's you. You can do this!" he roared mentally and dove back into the questions.

* * *

FIVE MINUTES LATER

"I was defeated" Sasuke breathed out as his head lolled to the table and on the written test.

* * *

"This is worst than the night I spent in the Forest of Death" Naruto thought, as pain sharply tugged at the sides of his head. He turned to Sasuke who wasn't doing any better. Out of the three of them, Sakura was doing the best.

"N-Naruto-kun" a tiny whisper came from his side and saw Hinata looking at him. "Y-you c-can cheat off o-of me" she wrote on the table with her finger. Blue eyes widened from underneath his hood.

"I couldn't" he wrote back, though he kept his head straight. "If we get caught, I don't want to be the reason you fail" he wrote.

"And I don't want you to fail period" she wrote, and he could feel a smile pulling at his lips.

"Thank you" he whispered, but before he could even look at her test, a kunai flew through the air, landing on the guy's paper behind them.

"You've failed" the examiner with the bandage running on his nose said with a smirk. "Five times you've screwed up now" he added and the boy's eyes widened. "You and your team mates are out" he spoke, his words causing the boy to shake.

"Oh shit" Naruto thought, his hands gripping onto the table. "Now what do I do?" was the question on everyone's mind as more people were sent out of the room.

* * *

Having recovered from his humiliating experience of the overwhelming power of the test in front of him, one Uchiha Sasuke sat up and straightened his back. "The examiners are very cautious" he thought as he looked at the men sitting at the sides of the room with clipboards in their hands. "It's almost as if they're expecting us to cheat" he added, and that was when the last piece of the puzzle clicked in place. He was going to have to cheat.

* * *

Unlike Sasuke who took long in figuring out the purpose of the test, Rookie Nine had already set in motions, the plans they had placed just for cheating. Akamaru the little puppy who was sitting on Kiba's head had been tasked with collecting all the answers he needed (which was all), Shino was using his bugs to gather Intel for him, Tenten was using the mirrors propped on the roof to see the tests of the neighboring genin around her, going out of her way to position the mirrors that were connected to her fingers by wire towards Lee so that she could help him out. But Rookie nine weren't the only ones cheating. In fact, Dosu was using the sound of the pencil coming from the boy behind him to get his answers and Gaara had even fastened a third eyeball made of sand to see all he needed to see. "These brats are good" was all Ibiki could think before he decided to administer the tenth question.


	54. Chapter 50

Chapter fifty - The Tenth Question! And the Second phase of the Chunin Exams!

Disclaimer

* * *

"Alright, put your pencils down, it's time for the tenth question" Ibiki yelled. "There will be a special rule for the last question" he said and it was around that time that Kankuro decided to re enter the room. With just one smirk from the scarred man, the boy knew that he was caught. "Have a seat so we can begin" he growled. When the boy was seated, he decided to continue "However, I must warn you though, if you do decide to take the tenth question and get it wrong, you'll forever be a genin".

"W-what?" a random genin asked as he stood up. "A genin forever? What kind of sick joke is this?" he shouted.

"Well, if you would stop your yapping then you'll know!" Ibiki snarled as another piece of chalk was launched in the air, successfully shutting the boy up and knocking him out as well. "Why do you imbeciles find the need to always talk while I'm speaking?" he muttered to himself. "As I was saying, if you chose to take the tenth question and get it wrong, then you'll be a genin forever but...if you feel like you're not confident enough to take it, then you don't have to. You can quit now and try next year" he said, watching their faces, relishing in the terror he was met with.

"A genin forever" Sakura whispered to herself and looked at her team mates. "Even if one of us gets the question wrong, then we'll all go down" she added, biting her nails as she looked at her team mates. Not even Inner Sakura had a comment to make. She couldn't take the chance at failing them but if she raised her hand, she didn't know if Naruto or Sasuke would ever forgive her. So she didn't to stay put for the while. She watched with a shaky breath as more and more genin raised their hands. Her hands trembled as they walked out with their heads bowed and egos crushed. Just as she was going to raise her own hand, someone spoke up.

"I'll take it" a voice carved through the fright. All eyes turned to the hooded blonde who had his arms crossed. "I won't let myself be defeated here. I need to push forward, regardless of the outcome. I need to become Hokage and even if I have to remain a genin forever, then so be it" Naruto spoke with a calm voice. Hinata smiled, Sakura gulped and Sasuke smirked.

"Very well then" Ibiki said, looking at the current twenty six teams that remained as a result of the blonde's words. "You all pass" he said, and all jaws dropped.

"What?!" Sakura shouted and luckily no chalk was directed her way.

"You heard me; I said that you all passed. The whole purpose of this exam was to test your information gathering skills. If you were caught, then you failed, it's that simple. You see, information can be more valuable than life itself on missions or even on the battlefield. It is contested by people's lives" he said, pulling the bandana off his head to reveal a head marred by scorch marks, screw holes and cut marks. Even Naruto felt his stomach turn at the sight. "For passing the exam here today, I'll bestow onto you all vital advice. If the gathered information is wrong that can spell death for your fellow team mates and it can even result in the destruction of your village" he said, tying the bandana back in its place. "As for the tenth question, it was the main question in this entire exam. It was to test your mantle as a shinobi. Let me ask you all a question. If you know you're going on a mission, one that can kill you and your team mates would you avoid it just because it's dangerous?" he said, looking at them. "The answer will always be no. Being a shinobi means placing your village and your Hokage before your own lives. That is the reality you're signing up for, my cute genin. The sooner you know, the sooner you can come to terms with it" he said, looking down at his own hands.

"Well said, Morino-san" the man appearing in the middle of the class room with a swirl of leaves said. Some of the genin jumped in surprise. "That's quite the number of people who passed" he commented as he looked around as he walked to the front.

"We had a great bunch this year" Ibiki said, glancing at the kid Anko had decided to mentor. He could see how someone like Anko would be taken with the gaki. He had certainly grown up just as his parents. Hell, he even saw Minato in the kid.

"Still, twenty six teams are a lot" the man said as he stopped beside Ibiki. "Hmm, well no use in worrying about that now" he said, smiling at them. "My name is Mawashi Dokuraku, your second proctor for the exams. Nice to meet you" he added.

* * *

The next day found all the remaining teams in front of the Forest of Death. Naruto immediately felt bile in the back of his throat. Of all the places, it just had to be there, he thought.

"You alright, dobe?" Sasuke asked and Naruto responded with a quick nod. **You and your friends are in danger** kept a nervous hold on the blonde. Leader Hisao's words had placed such a weight on his shoulders.

"Welcome to the Forest of Death" Mawashi said stepping out the swirl of leaves that announced his arrival. "I'm glad to see you're all here" he smiled as a screech came from the forest behind him. "Before the second phase of the chunin exams can start, I would like for you all to take one of these" he said, holding up a stack of papers with the bolded letters of CONSENT FORM at the very top.

"Consent forms?" Kiba asked and Mawashi nodded. "What are those for?" he added as the smile on the man's face remained where it was.

"From here on out, people to be more specific, you all, are going to die" he cheerily said and Naruto almost lurched forward. "Therefore I need you to sign these forms or else I would be in trouble" he added, rubbing behind his head while the genin quaked. That was when the liveliness vacated his face and was replaced with eerie composure. "The second phase of this exam will be a competition..." he said, pulling out two scrolls, one labeled the Scroll of Heaven, the other the Scroll of Earth. "... over these. Half of teams here will be given the scroll of Heaven while the remaining half will be given the Scroll of Earth. Each team will be given one scroll. In order for you and your team to pass, you must bring one of each scroll to the tower" he said.

"That means half of us here will fail" Sakura whispered and the genin who heard her gasped at such a revelation.

"Right on the mark" Mawashi said. "Within the five days that you spend in the Forest, there is something you must keep in mind. Anything and I mean ANYTHING goes" he added.

"Wait, five days?!" Ino shouted and Mawashi nodded.

"Yup, five days" he said, watching as dread surfaced on their faces. "Now before we start let me lay out some ground rules. If you can not bring both scrolls to the tower or without your three team mates, you will fail. If your team loses a team mate or you bring back one who can not be recovered, you will also fail" Mawashi said.

"Ano, excuse me, what about the scrolls themselves? Surely there must be some rule regarding them while we're in there" Sakura said, pointing to the Forest. Mawashi's eyes crinkled with delight and praise.

"Indeed, young genin, there is such a rule. It rules along the line of: Don't open them before you arrive at the tower or you'll fail" Mawashi said and clapped his hands. "I'll let you all take some time to fill out those forms before the second phase of the exams begins. I suggest that you use that time wisely after all the next five days are going to be hell" he chirped.

* * *

"You don't think he was serious, do you?" Sakura asked as they stood outside of the Gate labeled 12. Sasuke was stretching his arms and Naruto was checking the pouch on his leg.

"Of course he's serious" Sasuke said as he tied the headband on his forehead. "In that Forest, nothing but getting those scrolls matter. Right now, ALL genin even our fellow Konoha genin are enemies" he added as he rolled his shoulders. "We have a mission, Sakura" the Uchiha said and the girl nodded, though he could see that she was struggling with such a concept. Hell, even Naruto was uncomfortable with everything going on but they had to be strong.

"But more than that in addition to getting those scrolls, we HAVE to be safe" Naruto said as he clenched his fists. He would protect his team mates. He would protect everyone; it was the vow he had made the very moment Leader Hisao had given Naruto that fortune.

"Team seven" Sakura said, assurance blooming in her chest. As always her team mates were right. **We'll be fine, Shannaro! It's time for us to show them what we've got!** Inner Sakura shouted while she placed her closed fist in the space between them.

"Team seven" Naruto said, bumping his own fist on hers. They turned to Sasuke who rolled his eyes.

"You two are always so dramatic" he muttered but placed his fist next to theirs. "Team Seven" he said a small smile on his face. Naruto was right. They would protect each other, and when the gate was opened, they shot off into the forest with that promise sealed within their hearts.

* * *

They had made it almost a mile within the forest when Naruto stopped them. He had been debating about whether or not he should tell them about the fact that he used it as his training ground, but he decided to hold off with the information for now. They were in the middle of the exams and the last thing they needed was any sort of strife to pull their team apart. "Listen" he said, slowing down.

"What is it?" Sakura asked stopping. She had taken notice of how edgy Naruto had been ever since they got to the Forest of Death.

"We need a plan" Sasuke said and Naruto pulled his hood down so he could quirk an eyebrow. "Shut up" the Uchiha glared.

"You're right, though" Naruto said, huddling them closer. "We need a plan, a good one and I think I might have an idea" he added with a grin.

"Why does it sound like a prank then?" Sakura teased and they shared a quiet chuckle. "Well then big shot, tell us this plan of yours" she added and with that, Team seven devised their strategy to ace that exam once and for all.

* * *

"Where are all the girls at?" Umi asked as they ducked low on one of the high trees. Kaze frowned but otherwise kept his henge on. They were currently disguised to look like Anbu from Konoha, according to Naruto's plan. They were to be the scouts that would locate scrolls from the other genin that Team seven needed.

"Shut up" Kaze said to Umi who frowned but stayed still none the less. "Target locked" he whispered and nodded his head in the direction of some random genin team that walked beneath them. "Mission start" he chuckled and they disappeared.

* * *

"It's quiet" Sasuke commented as they hurried through the tree tops. "Too quiet" he added as he looked at Naruto and Sakura.

"So what?" Sakura asked as the Uchiha slowed down, his team mates following his lead. Despite her question, she knew why he had made such a statement. Even then, she could feel eyes on them.

"Looks like HIS plan worked" Naruto said, smirking as the woman (?) appeared in front of them.

"Ah, Team seven. What a surprise" one disguised Orochimaru said. With each step he took towards them, the Earth felt like it was crumbling right beneath their feet.

"Our mission remains the same!" Sakura shouted and Orochimaru couldn't help the arching of his eyebrow. "Delay him as much as you can, so the originals can make it to the tower!" she added and Orochimaru seethed as the henge were dropped, revealing blonde hair.

"Decoys" he hissed in a rage as he dove towards them.

* * *

Author's notes: Mawashi Dokuraku (obtained from Narutopedia wiki) who is also part of the torture and interrogation unit headed up by Morino Ibiki.

To marquis shax: bruh...calm down. No need to rant. I read your reviews (thanks by the way) and I appreciate your opinions...but dude, come on. I wrote a note addressing the bunshin issue. If you're going by logic (as much as you can get for an anime) the Hokage would have NEVER let Anko teach Naruto the Kage bunshin technique. NEVER. It's a high ranked ninjutsu for a reason, chakra reserves or not. So in order for Naruto to pass the genin exams, I had to find way for him to do so WITHOUT stealing the scroll. Besides we've seen how efficient Naruto has been in the latest episodes of Shippuden, at controlling chakra (with the Kyuubi's help of course). So why is not probable that he would be able to at least make three clones with the right guidance? Naruto has never been trained properly in the canon universe, let's face facts even with Jiraiya's help. The kid has potential, a lot of characters said that, we saw it for ourselves with the kind of strategies he could come up with in his battles. Besides I said that it is an Au universe. In other fanfic's the same boy is written to control the Mokuton, so why it is so unbelieveable that he can make three normal bunshin? And as for the issue with Kakashi, the man was going through his shit too, emotionally. He lost EVERYONE he loved. You said he favored Sasuke? Yeah, he taught him the Chidori and spent a litte more time with him than Naruto, but when it comes down to it, Kakashi favored NO ONE. If he really did favor Sasuke, he would've taught him much more than just the Chidori. Which is also the reason why Sasuke left the village to go to Orochimaru.

Sorry for the rant, but sometimes, you gotta defend yourself. In a respectful way of course.


	55. Chapter 51

Chapter fifty one – The snake appears! Naruto's secret weapon!

Disclaimer: ~(*.*)~ Same as always

A/N: Though Orochimaru is disguised as a woman, a fact Team seven doesn't know, I still referred to him as a man in this chapter.

* * *

Some moments ago:

 _"Oho, so they were decoys" Orochimaru said as the three children he had assumed was Team seven dispersed in puffs of smoke. "Looks like I'll have to go hunting again" he whispered as he blurred out of existence._

As the memories of his shadow clones poured into his mind, his entire body shuddered with the fear he felt. He didn't even know when he stopped running. **The snake will crush your team,** kept repeating in his head. Whatever or whoever that person, they were coming after them, after Sasuke, after him. **The leaf will tremble under the snake's bite.** They were all in danger. "Naruto!" someone called and he saw Sakura as well as Sasuke staring at him, worry evident on their faces. "What's wrong?" Sakura asked. They had seen how he was shaking.

"...It is coming" escaped his lips and before they could ask what he meant, a large snake had swept him from the place he was standing.

"We finally meet, Uchiha Sasuke" the person greeted as the remaining genin was reeling in shock.

* * *

Naruto barely missed those large fangs, dripping with poison. "Who the hell is that?" he thought as he jumped away from the bite that was directed his way. He stood on the bark of a tree, chakra holding him in place. "There is only one person I know who has the snake summoning contract in Konoha and that's Anko-sensei, so then why does that freak has it as well?" he asked aloud but the snake only hissed at him before striking at him again.

* * *

It was in that moment that Uchiha Sasuke felt true fear, just like the one he felt the night of the Uchiha massacre and at the Land of Waves. He was standing in front of the man, his abnormally long tongue swiping left and right. He could hear Sakura's clattering teeth from behind him and more than that he was worried about that blonde dobe. Sasuke knew from the way Naruto was behaving when his clones were wiped out, that whoever did it had been what can only be described as a monster. The sort of monster that would torment you even in the middle of the day, a monster like his older brother, Uchiha Itachi. He gulped, his Adam's apple bobbing as his sweaty, cold fingers grasped against the kunai he held in his hand. The killing intent was threatening to swallow them alive. "I can smell your fear from over here little genin and I have to tell you, it's like an aphrodisiac" he cackled and that was when Sasuke felt a tug at the back of his clothes. Sakura was holding onto the hem of his jacket, tears falling from her face. With unsteady hands, he quickly took out two kunai and launched it at the man. "That's not going to be enough to defeat me, Sasuke-kun" he crooned as he caught the kunai with ease before sending it right back at him double the speed.

" _ **I'm going to die**_ " his body convulsed as his Sharingan tracked the movement of blades slicing through the air. "Move" a voice pleaded, but he couldn't, his feet was stuck to the ground.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sakura howled at the top of her lungs and when his eyes travelled to the girl's he knew what he had to do.

"Move damn it!" he shouted and raising the kunai in his hand, he stabbed his leg. The pain woke his body up once more and that was all he needed to escape with Sakura in hand.

* * *

"You're no match for me!" Naruto said to the snake that had been reduced to nothing but scattered bits and pieces on the ground. He was turning to leave when he heard a loud, high pitched scream. "Sakura, Sasuke" he swore and darted out of the clearing.

* * *

Moments Ago:

Sakura was ducked low behind the trunk of a tree next to Sasuke, his hand covering her mouth. "We need to run" was all her crush kept whispering, and she knew that it was more to himself than to her. Their clothes were dirty, blood had stained the Uchiha's and sweat coated their skins but it could not compare to the unease they were drenched in. If Sasuke-kun and Naruto were scared of that thing, what chances did she have of standing up to it? Her hands dug into the moss that covered the tree, her knees knocking against each other. Were they going to die out there? Tears fell down her face and onto Sasuke's hand, causing the boy to look at her. "We'll get out of this, Sakura" he breathed but the pledge fell flat for both of them. "I promise" he vowed.

"Sasuke-kun" she mumbled and that was when a shadow fell over them. Her eyes widened. "A snake!" she shrieked and they had to jump away. The spot they were once occupying was shredded by large fangs and strong jaws. Sakura watched with panic as the snake swerved to attack Sasuke in mid air. "Look out!" she screamed. Sasuke who swore he saw the man's face combined with the snake's haphazardly threw a set of shuriken and kunai.

"Get the fuck away from me!" Sasuke cried out and when the snake fell to the ground, Sakura watched as he threw up. Before she could ask him if he was alright, the man popped out of the snake's carcass, chuckling.

"A prey needs to always stay on guard in the presence of a predator" he said, his long tongue grossly wiggling at them. Without some much of a warning, the man's body twisted like the very snake he was residing in some moments ago, slithering up the tree towards Sasuke.

" **You have to help him, Sakura! Now is not the time to be scared! Go!"** Inner Sakura howled at her and despite her wobbling, she took a stand.

"Get away from Sasuke-kun!" the girl shouted at the top of her lungs, before she launched her weapons. Though it stopped the man from reaching Sasuke, it hadn't punctured him.

"Oho, so you're going to fight?" Orochimaru asked a wicked smile on his face at the sight of the clearly frightened girl.

"Don't be stupid, Sakura! You can't take him!" Sasuke shouted at her, his voice on the very edge of delirium. She took out the storage seal she had gotten herself, ever since their fight in the Land of Waves.

"The boy that I love would never run even if his life depended on it, so neither will I" she refuted and Sasuke's eyes widened. "He's one of the strongest genin in Konoha, and he's the one I look up to the most. He may be a jerk sometimes, but he's saved my life more times than that. He's kind and he may act like he doesn't care about anything but that's actually the opposite. He's a great team mate and friend. So that's why, even if I have no chance at even winning this battle, I'll fight. I'll protect my comrade" she said, unsealing the tanto she had gotten. She slid into the stance that she had been secretly learning.

"You know kenjutsu, little flower?" Orochimaru asked, taking out his own sword to match hers. "Well then, show me what you've got" he laughed and disappeared.

"Sakura!" Sasuke yelled as the man had materialized in front of the girl, his sword ready to slash her down. Sakura briskly brought her tanto upwards, blocking the sharp glinting steel of the Kusanagi.

The force of Orochimaru's strike rammed her harshly against the tree. Her face contorted as the bark prodded at her back and the muscles in her arms burnt as she was forced to keep the tanto in place as the man kept pushing down on his own sword in an attempt to get at her.

"I misjudged you" Orochimaru cackled and jumped away but as he was suspended in the air, he lunged towards her once more.

"Get out of the way!" Sasuke cried as the pink haired girl stayed still. "Sakura!" he shouted, ready to jump in and protect her, when at the last minute he saw how she evened out her breathing. Her eyes were dilated as she watched Orochimaru who had chosen to mock her by actually reducing his speed of approach.

" _I may not be a kenjutsu master, but I can teach you the basics, Sakura. Trust your instincts, keep your mind clear and be ready for anything"_ her father's voice trailed in her mind. The hairs on her arms rose as Orochimaru got closer.

"You can do this, Sakura" she told herself, and at the last minute, just as the blade could tear through her upper body, she side stepped both the weapon as well as its master. "You should be on your guard" she whispered and using all the strength she had, she extended her arm (a mistake she would soon come to realize) carrying the tanto towards the man who had been left open. HOWEVER, instead of blood, pieces of cloth fell to the ground.

"Sakura!" Sasuke shouted and her eyes widened as he slipped through her defense. A scream tore through her lips as the cool metal of the Kusanagi pierced through her shoulder.

"Enough games" Orochimaru seethed, looking down at his now damaged clothes. The girl wasn't even supposed to accomplish such a feat. He pulled the sword out, laughing as she fell to her knees. He swung the sword, flicking the blood off and smirked down at her, relishing in the terrified eyes he was met with. There was nothing more enticing than seeing a person's face as he or she realized they were about to die. He raised his sword, intent on cutting the girl down when he felt it. He hissed as he was forced to dodge the tagged kunai that was launched his way. He watched as the blonde picked up Sakura who was writhing in pain, before the tag went off.

* * *

"You okay?" Naruto asked watching Sakura who was quivering, blood gushing out of the wound from her shoulder.

"Naruto..." Sasuke was saying when Naruto ignored him.

"That freak is coming. Here" Naruto said, handing him some gauze. "Look after her and when you return to the Sasuke I know, come help me" he added, disappearing in a burst of speed.

"Shit" Sasuke bellowed in frustration, as he punched the tree.

"S-S-Sas-suke-kun" an injured voice whispered and he turned to Sakura who had propped herself against the tree, a river of blood flowing down her clothes. Guilt flooded his senses and his eyes softened.

"Sorry Sakura. Let's get you cleaned up" he said and the smile cutting through the pain was all he needed to forget his previous anxiety.

* * *

"Uzumaki Naruto, what a surprise. You defeated my little pet. Aren't you kids just full of surprises today?" Orochimaru said with a smirk as they stood opposite from each other. "By the way, I must say I was impressed with your henged decoy clones. Quite clever" he added.

"I knew there would be danger out here in this Forest so I took the necessary steps to keep my team safe" Naruto countered, his hand hovering over his pouch, ready to draw his kunai.

"Is that so?" he asked, his eyes twinkled with mischief. "According to some resources, someone I know has taken you under her wing" he added and Naruto's mouth tightly set in a frown.

"How do you know Anko-sensei?" Naruto asked and Orochimaru threw his head back with laughter.

"I see. So she's actually found someone who would call her by such a term. How amusing" Orochimaru said.

"Why are you here? And why do you have Anko-sensei's Snake summons?" Naruto asked, and Orochimaru arched an eyebrow.

"The snake summons has always been mine, boy, not the other way around" Orochimaru said, a nasty smile forming on his face. "Didn't your precious sensei tell you?" he taunted, but Naruto didn't rise to the jibe.

"Why are you here in Konoha, attacking my team? What are you looking to gain from all of this?" Naruto asked and Orochimaru studied the boy who in that minute served to remind him of another obnoxious blonde.

"I'm here for blood, Naruto-kun. I'm here for revenge" Orochimaru said and Naruto clenched his fists.

"Take your revenge somewhere else" Naruto snapped and Orochimaru could only smile at him.

"I'm sorry, little Uzumaki but this is bigger than you" Orochimaru shouted as he shot towards him. Suddenly Naruto was glad that he had removed his weights before entering the Forest. Faster than even Lee, the sennin was already in front of him despite the large gap that was between them. Naruto was forced to slip outside the jab directed at him, and countered with a low kick. Orochimaru didn't even flinch as his shin made contact with his leg, instead the man followed up with a punch, one that served to throw the blonde backwards. However, Orochimaru wasn't finished yet. He slithered towards Naruto who shot some shuriken towards him. As Naruto got to his feet, with a bloody nose, he watched as the man's neck extended before darting out of the way of the oncoming projectiles.

As the man appeared in front of him, Naruto crossed his fingers in a seal. "Kage bunshin no jutsu!" he shouted and nearly thirty clones appeared before throwing themselves on the snake sennin. He jumped away, drawing distance between himself and the man that was covered with his clones. He called over three. "I need you to hel-..." he was saying when the remaining twenty seven that had acted like a substitute blanket were destroyed in an instant by some sort of wind jutsu. His clones moved in front of him like his personal Anbu, something that made Orochimaru smile.

"Impressive, young Naruto" he said, rolling his shoulders and weighing his sword in his hand. "Too bad the one I want is Sasuke-kun, you have so much potential" he added, licking his lips. **He will curse you and your friend.**

"Too bad you will never have him" Naruto said and with a glance at his clones, they ran towards the man.

"Heh" Orchimaru smirked as the four blondes shuffled around. "Child's play" he chuckled as blue chakra lit up his Kusanagi. Orochimaru blasted forward, and as graceful as water, he seemed to dance between the blondes who had stopped running once the sennin disappeared. "I'm sorry but you can't fool me with such underhanded tricks" he said and slashed at two of the blonde, effectively killing them off. When he was going to finish up the remaining two, he watched as one of them darted away. "I told-.." he was saying when the clone looked him straight in the eyes.

"Bunshin Daibakuha" was what caused the man to stop his sentence.

* * *

"I'm not going to win" Naruto panted as he hid in one of the trees. Nothing he had done so far worked. Not even his clones could stand up to that man. He needed another ace in the hole. He had to find a way to at least ward off the man long enough so that they could escape but he was drawing only blanks. "Shit" he wheezed out, holding onto his knees. The speed he was forced to take was even more exerting compared to that of when he fought Lee. Another difference between now and then?

He was fighting for his life here. That man was ready to kill him. "Come on, think Naruto, think" he whispered to himself. "Takao" he muttered and bit his thumb. "Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram" he shouted as he performed the hand seals before he slammed his hand on the ground.

"Why the hell did you summon me here?!" Takao shouted as he materialized in a puff of smoke. Before Naruto could answer, Orochimaru emerged. The tiger's lone eye narrowed before he grabbed the blonde away from the attack.

"And what is this?" Orochimaru asked, already salivating at the large tiger in front of him.

"He is my secret weapon" Naruto proudly said, smirking at Takao who responded with a growl.

* * *

Additional notes: Let's hear it for Sakura…She may not be as strong as the boys YET, but when it comes down to it, she's well on her way to the road of badassery, a path she should've have taken in the original universe, but hey, that is what fanfics are for.

To marquis shax: I understand what you're saying (I don't fully agree) but I get it. Kakashi did come off like a jerk to me at the beginning because in Naruto (the first series), he taught the blonde basically nothing when it came down to it (same goes for Sakura). Hell, he doesn't teach Naruto or Sakura in this fic either. It's true. I mean, though I love Kakashi to death, the sad reality is, he could've been what Gai was to Lee, for Naruto in his younger days.

But I always felt like the whole reason why the Sandaime chose Kakashi to be the teacher of Team seven was not to actually TEACH them. I think the aged leader knew that Kakashi was too deep in his own emotional shit and that's one of the reasons why he knew Kakashi would be 'good' for Sasuke and Naruto. Who better to understand them than the man who was just as scarred as they were? That's why I don't really hate Kakashi for showing 'favor' towards Sasuke lol. I know it's biased. But why hate a man who already hates himself?


	56. Chapter 52

Chapter fifty two – Standing Tall

Disclaimer:

* * *

"Who is this and what is going on?" Takao asked, as the three stood off with each other. Naruto kept his eyes trained on Orochimaru but answered.

"He's our enemy right now. He's the **snake** " Naruto said and Takao's claws dug into the ground.

"The one Leader Hisao spoke about" Takao said, frowning at the way the man was looking at him.

"How unexpected. How did you come into possession of the Tiger summoning contract, Naruto-kun?" Orochimaru asked.

"Don't worry about it" Naruto said and looked at Takao. "I need your help, Takao. I have to save my friends" his voice full of all the emotions he felt. Takao sighed and then looked at the man. He could sense the evil around that man, and if someone like him got hold of their summoning contract, well safe to say that he would rather let their summoner be the blonde human child.

"I'll help you" Takao said and stretched, reminiscent of that a cat's. His claws struck out and he smirked.

"Well since the tiger is joining the fight, it's only fair for my pet to come out and play" Orochimaru said and forming the appropriate seals, he summoned a large brown snake like the previous.

"I hate snakes" Takao growled and the battle had begun.

* * *

"T-thank you" Sakura whispered as Sasuke finished patching her up. Despite the gauze, her shoulder throbbed. "Where's Naruto?" she asked as Sasuke stood up, their eyes darting all around. That was when the ground underneath them shook.

"I'm guessing, that direction" Sasuke said, pointing to the path they knew they had to take.

* * *

Takao dug his claws into the large snake summons, holding it at a safe distance while its fang was poised threatening at his throat. "You can't defeat me" Takao shouted as he tore its neck out with his mouth. The tiger snorted as the dead snake flopped to the ground, turning to see Naruto pinned to the ground with the snake sennin's foot. "Brat!" he shouted, running on all fours towards them. He raised his paw ready to slash the man down, but a hand no bigger than his pinky claw stopped him. His eye widened at the man who chuckled.

"Just as my snake was no match for you, you're no match for me" Orochimaru said and using the strength no human should possess, he flung the tiger away.

"Takao!" Naruto shouted and Orochimaru chuckled as the clone popped from under his foot. The real Naruto had already gone to assist the fallen tiger.

"I don't need your help!" Takao growled as Naruto got to him. He narrowed his eye and sat up. "No human is going to defeat me" he snarled and raising his paws, formed a seal. "Burn in hell you freak. Kaen Funka*" he shouted and Naruto watched as a medium sized fireball shot out of the tiger's mouth and towards Orochimaru. As the man was going to leap away, Naruto's eyes widened as the ball expanded throughout the area, seemingly engulfing the man into the flames.

"Holy shit" Naruto whispered with awe. Takao didn't say anything, in fact his eyes narrowed even more.

"Quite a technique you have there, Tora-san" Orochimaru said, his skin seemingly pealing off his face to reveal another. Naruto's hands shook. He recognized that long black hair.

* * *

"What is this?" one of the shinobi asked, looking down at the corpses in front of them. "How horrible" he went on to say.

"Look at their head bands" the other said and Kusa's village symbol was engraved on the metal.

"We need to get Mawashi-san, the second proctor here as soon as possible. He's going to want to see this" the first man said, rubbing his hand on his forehead.

* * *

"What are you?" Naruto asked, and Takao placed his hand out, almost shielding him from the sennin.

"Orochimaru" Takao whispered and even the sennin was taken aback by the fact that he knew who he was.

"That is correct, Tora-san but the question is how do you know that?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"You're known for your cruelty" Takao scowled at him. "We've heard of your exploits" he added.

"Oh, that's good I suppose" Orochimaru said and Naruto could see how tense the tiger was. His usual cockiness had all but vanished.

"If we attack him on our own, we won't stand a chance" Takao said and Naruto frowned. "That's why we're going to have to attack as one" he added, looking down at the blonde.

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked but Takao didn't answer him, he started to make his own set of hand seals. "What are you doing?" he asked.

"Do you trust me?" Takao bluntly asked and Naruto was most certainly surprised at the question. "In order for us to complete the first step of our training, you're going to have to trust me" he added.

"Our lives are on stake here and you're talking about training?!" Naruto asked with disbelief. Takao snorted and finished on the Ram seal.

"Just answer me, Naruto. Do you trust me?" Takao asked and Naruto's eyes roved over the tiger's face before he released a sigh.

"I trust you" was what caused the clearing to be covered with white light.

* * *

"Hmm, it seems as though their faces were melted off" Mawashi said as he took the cigarette from his mouth.

"Yes sir" one of the shinobi said as they started at the corpses. "What should we do, sir?" he asked.

"Get me Anko-san and inform Hokage-sama at once" Mawashi said and they stared at each other. "She's the only one who will have an idea to what this crisis may mean" he added as he exhaled a stream of smoke into the air. If his assumption was correct, she was indeed the right one to call for, seeing as she was the one who had seen this technique performed before.

* * *

 _Takao was a little cub when he was first introduced to Minoru. His mother had been summoned to the human world and as such, Takao followed after her since he refused to stay with his father. When he puffed into the temple, he was met with a crowd of people, cooing at the human woman that was standing next to his mother. "Mom!" Takao roared and it was a cute roar. His mother smiled at him and beckoned him closer._

" _Takao-sama, come meet Minoru" the human woman said and Takao frowned. His father always told him that humans couldn't be trusted and since then, he always maintained a distance from them. Despite that though, he tottered towards the swaddled babe and he peered up at the fleshy human child. He denied the way brown eyes seemed to smile at him or the way his own eyes softened. However when he glanced at the right, he frowned when he saw the knowing look in his mother's eyes._

" _He's not so ugly for a human" Takao muttered and with that left._

* * *

 _Minoru was just ten years old, when Takao finally realized that he considered the human child his friend. His mother had been summoned by the high priest once more to help with some festival, when Takao trailed behind her as always. Minoru who had been with his father when the tigers were summoned, beamed at Takao. "Takao-sama, come play with me!" the boy squeaked as he ran towards him. Takao moved out of the way as grubby, sticky fingers tried to snatch his fur._

" _If you don't mind, can you please look over him for me, Takao-sama?" the boy's father asked and Takao huffed. How dare that lowly human ask him to babysit this brat? He was ready to decline the offer, when his mother smiled at them._

" _Of course he wouldn't mind. Right Takao-chan?" His mother asked and Takao pouted. Now he had to._

" _Fine" he barked and walked off. The child clumsily followed until they were playing in the boy's room, one of the places where others wouldn't see them. Takao lay down in the corner, one eye closed, the other opened as the child babbled on and on about nothing in general. When the child finally silenced himself, Takao opened both eyes._

" _You have a beautiful coat, Takao-sama" Minoru said and Takao had to bite back the snarl as the child ran a brush through his fur. He was ready to tell him off but his mouth snapped close, as Minoru gently patted his head. Usually he would have thought about how degrading the gesture was, but he couldn't. The child was crying and Takao had no idea why. "You remind me of my mom" he whispered through a sniff. If Takao remembered, the human woman had died a year ago. Gruffly, he pulled the boy closer to his side._

" _You're such a cry baby" Takao said without his usual malice. He didn't even mind when the boy got snot on his fur. No, because for the first time, he didn't hate humans as much as his father told him to._

* * *

 _Two years later, and so much had changed in their relationship. Takao, even when his mother was still in their own world, would go to see Minoru in the human world. He was Minoru's best friend and the same could be said for the usually grumpy tiger. Hell, he even allowed Minoru to brush his fur regularly. "Ta-kun!" Minoru shouted as Takao was sleeping under the Sakura tree right behind Minoru's bedroom. He lazily raised his head and watched as Minoru ran towards him, only to fall on his face. He snorted. "Oi, that's mean~" Minoru complained as he got up, dusting his kimono._

" _What do you want, baka?" Takao asked and Minoru showed him some of cake. "Should I know what that is?" he added as he got up. He growled as Minoru climbed on his back. He had grown larger by then. In fact, he was reaching his father's shoulders now._

" _Your mom told me that today is birthday!" Minoru said with red tinged cheeks. He was embarrassed, Takao thought. "I wanted to get you something but I didn't save up much. I'm sorry" he added as he shamefully presented the cake that Minoru no doubt baked himself._

" _Thanks" Takao said and took the cake from Minoru. He gobbled it in one go because he knew that whatever Minoru tried to make, would take awful and so, it was better that he just ate it in one go. He was right too, because it burned his taste buds. Minoru had managed to make the cake taste as horrible as natto. "It's good" he lied and Minoru frowned._

" _You're lying" Minoru said, thumping his fists on his shoulders but laid his head on Takao's. "But thank you. Happy Birthday, Ta-kun" he whispered and despite the wry smile on the tiger's face, he was happy._

* * *

 _Minoru was fifteen when Takao noticed the changes in the boy he once called his best friend. He was brasher, angrier, sweatier, and more hateful. It was only after he disrespected his own father, did Takao confront him. "You're pissing me off with that asshole attitude of yours" Takao told him as soon as Minoru stormed back into his room. Minoru frowned at him but slumped on his futon._

" _Get out of here, Takao!" Minoru said. It had been awhile since he used the affectionate Ta-kun but as always, Takao would deny that he cared one bit._

" _Your father is sick, did you know that?" Takao asked and Minoru's eyes widened. Guess not._

" _What?" Minoru questioned but flinched at Takao's judging eyes._

" _If you want to know, ask him yourself, you shitty brat" Takao said before he left, more disappointed in the kid than he had ever been before._

* * *

 _Minoru was eighteen, when their relationship mended with Minoru's father's death. Takao, after all the family had left, watched as Minoru stared blankly as his father's picture. "You look horrible" Takao said as he walked towards Minoru. He had yet to be named the head monk of the Okabe family, but everyone knew that he was the heir, and it was a matter of time before it was announced. Minoru turned and at the pathetic look on the boy's face, Takao rolled his eyes._

" _Ta-kun" Minoru whispered, his eyes shining with unshed tears. Takao frowned as Minoru rushed and hugged his leg. "I'm sorry" he told him. The last time Takao was in the human world was three years ago, when he told him that his father was sick._

" _Yeah, yeah, brat" Takao said and allowed the kid to cry on his pelt, just like he had done, eight years ago._

* * *

 _It was not even a good three months later, when Minoru betrayed the Tora family, when he betrayed Takao._

 _Takao knew something was wrong. He just knew it. Without explanation or reason, he reserved summoned himself to the human world, to this place he thought his mother would be. Only, when he got to the Okabe temple, it had been reduced to nothing but the dying flicker of fires and rubble. He saw the girl that Minoru had introduced him to, the girl who Minoru liked, with a knife lodged in her stomach. "Takao-sama" the girl wheezed and Takao looked down at her. "Save him…he's travelling to Konoha….I….they….betrayed him" she whispered before her life ended. Takao roared as he looked at the sky. He had to find his mother and Minoru._

 _When he finally met up with them, he saw his mother barely defending herself against those humans, while they pinned Minoru down._

" _Mom!" Takao screamed, ready to run towards them, when she shook her head at him. He turned to Minoru who couldn't even look him in the eyes. He knew that his mother was in no condition to fight, he knew that she was pregnant with his unborn brother, so why did he…. "Coward" he hissed at Minoru who whimpered._

" _Shut up!" the shinobi said with a harsh voice and a blurred face. "The world has never seen a tiger summons before. We're going to make a fortune off of you two" he said and laughed as Takao snarled at him. "Get the cages" he ordered to one of his friends._

" _Reverse summon yourself out of here, Takao!" his mother shouted but she knew very well that her son would never listen to her. He would never leave her._

" _Don't you dare" the man said, applying pressure to the blade under her neck. "If you even think about it, I'll kill her" he said to Takao._

" _Ta-kun, I'm really sorry" Minoru said and Takao ignored him. "When I give you the chance, you run okay?" he added and when Takao's head snapped towards him, his eyes widened._

" _NO! You idiot…!" Takao shouted. The shinobi didn't even expect for the pampered monk to set off the exploding tag that would kill not only himself but all those shinobi surrounding him._

 _"Go" was the last word Minoru whispered at him._

" _Minoru, no!" he screamed, and as he rushed to his friend another blade slashed at his eye. Blood spurted across the grass as the tag went off._

 _He was barely alive as his mother carried him away from the blast._

* * *

Blood ran down his nose as the memory was cut short. He looked at the spear in his hands, that of the transformed Takao. " _ **In order for us to bond, we needed to share those secrets that not everyone gets to see"**_ the tiger spoke to him.

"Does that mean you saw my memories?" Naruto asked as he gripped onto the spear. Guessing from the fact that Takao refused to reply, that meant yes. "Well, it doesn't change a thing" Naruto said, his focus on Orochimaru. "Does it?" he asked and he swore he could see the tiger smiling at him.

" _ **No, it doesn't**_ " Takao said. The spear which he had transformed had a shaft made of all white and the pointed tip was made of a refined metal. " _ **Let's go**_ " the transformed tiger shouted and with a nod, Naruto sprinted forward.

"You've exceeded my expectations, Naruto-kun" Orochimaru laughed like the mad man he was, the two meeting in the middle of the space that stretched between them. Naruto ducked under the sword, spun the spear and just as Orochimaru was about strike him, he parried. Orochimaru chuckled and engaged him again. The snake sennin raised his hand in a beautiful arc, and Naruto knew he had to dodge the sickle like blades of wind chakra that sprouted from the sword.

" _ **Dig my head into the ground and use me to launch yourself in the air"**_ Takao said and almost immediately he did as instructed. He leapt into the air, making sure to take the transformed Takao with him. " _ **Look out**_ " Takao shouted and Naruto brought the spear to block the Kusanagi. They pushed their weapons against each other before jumped away.

"Playtime is over, Naruto-kun" Orochimaru hissed and then slammed his hands on the ground. "Doton: Rikujou Shougekiha no jutsu" he shouted and the ground started to shake. Naruto had no choice but to leap into the air. However that was a big mistake. Naruto hadn't even notice the glowing kanji on Orochimaru's fingers as he followed him.

* * *

Kaen Funka (Blaze Eruption) and Doton Rikujou Shougekiha no jutsu (Earth Release: Ground shockwave technique)

Kaen Funka: This technique creates a seeming small ball of fire that can be launched at a target. Once the flame impacts something, it explodes in to a raging, all consuming, fire storm within a 20 yard radius

Doton Rikujou Shougekiha: This technique unleashes larger amounts of chakra into the ground to cause a more violent shaking to be sent in the form of a shockwave towards an opponent.

* * *

A/N: I was debating as to what Takao should transform into, before I decided on a spear. I didn't want him to transform into the usual katana and when I thought about it, I felt like maybe, a spear would be appropriate. More information will be added in the future as to explain the transformation process.

To RamenKnight: Regarding the last review (thanks btw), yeah, the Anbu are shitty in this case, plus I should've explained it properly.

The reason why they took so long in apprehending Mizuki would be 1) they would have obtained information that someone among them was a spy (because come on, you're telling me even in the canon universe with a village of shinobi, they wouldn't have expected that? Or even got a tip off?) And as such, they were waiting to see if Mizuki would run his mouth off, and give them some clue as to who he is working for. 2) In the later chapters, when Yami is introduced, we see that the Anbu has always been slack with Naruto's protection. They wouldn't feel the need to go out of their way to do their job. It was half assed on their part to wait until Mizuki spoke up before they tried to do something about the man, something we saw even in the original.

As for Mizuki calling Naruto the Kyubi, you're right. But in this fic, he's more vindictive and more obnoxious so even though he knows that Naruto only contains the Kyubi, he tells him instead that he is the Kyubi. Why? Because he creates more damage that way. Telling the same kid who's been called monster for all his life, that he is a demon, will impact him that much more, mature or not. (I think) He is mature in this fic, but we also see that he is very fragile especially with the thing messing up his thoughts and all. That's why he ran.


	57. Chapter 53

Chapter fifty three – The might of the Uchiha clan

Disclaimer:

* * *

As Sakura and Sasuke got to where their third team mate was, the wound on her shoulder throbbed. Her eyes widened as Orochimaru slammed his hand into Naruto's stomach, his fingers glowing purple with some sort of kanji on them. "Naruto!" she shouted and the strength she had used to voice her concern caused her head to spin.

"Shit" Sasuke swore as she fell to her knees, clutching the already bloody gauze. She could see how disoriented her crush was, torn between running to her and to Naruto who was lying now unconscious on the ground he had crashed into.

"You need to help him" Sakura painfully gritted out, sweat pooling down her face. She could see that Sasuke still had problems with moving, he was still afraid. She would have to take extreme measures if he were to snap out of it. "Why are you acting like a coward?" she whispered, blood dripping down her arm to the ground. Sasuke's eyes turned to her as she bit her lip in an effort not to scream out in pain. "Is this all you're worth, Sasuke-kun?" she shouted.

" **Detest me"** his brother's face resurfaced. A sea of red engulfed him as the bodies of his parents laid strewn in his mind. He had a purpose. He couldn't die, not yet but neither could he give up. He had to fight not only because he had to kill Itachi, but because... "I have to protect you and Naruto" Sasuke declared and Sakura nodded. They both had risked their lives in order to fight Orochimaru, and so would Sasuke. Pushing chakra into his eyes, the Sharingan was revealed. He slipped a kunai out of his pouch before biting down on it. "Thank you Sakura" was the words he uttered as he ran towards Orochimaru.

* * *

Some moments ago:

Umi standing next to Kaze looked at the three genin they had just defeated. "Well, that was a waste of time" he said throwing the scroll on the ground next to the team that was out cold.

"We still have work to do" Kaze said and they were going to leave, when something harshly tugged at his body.

"What the hell was that?" Umi hissed as he propped himself on the tree as he held his stomach.

"Something's wrong with Naruto" Kaze breathed out. "We need to..." he was saying but instead puffed out of existence.

"Kaze" Umi called but he too had exploded in a cloud of smoke.

* * *

"Let's see how strong you are, Sasuke-kun!" Orochimaru said, as the boy dashed from the tree to charge towards him. **Kick. Block. Kick.** Sasuke landed some feet away from Orochimaru. "I wonder, are you as strong as your team mates?" the man snarkly asked as he ran towards him, his image blurring from the speed. Sasuke blocked a punch with his own hand, ducked under a kick, retaliated with a spin kick himself but Orochimaru jumped away. Orochimaru who wasn't finished ran in circles around the young Uchiha, his after images seemingly danced around him.

"I can see him" Sasuke thought as his eyes predicted the man's movement. Forming the necessary hand seals, the young Uchiha released a stream of fire from his mouth towards Orochimaru. "You're not getting away!" Sasuke shouted as he drew more breath into his lungs before he spewed out more fire.

"That's it, Sasuke-kun!" Orochimaru shouted as the man stepped out of the dying flames. "Show me the might of the Uchiha clan!" he said as they clashed. Sasuke grabbed the man by the waist and dove downwards. However when Orochimaru's head met with the tree, he turned to mud. "Not good enough" was all he heard before a kick slammed him backwards and into a tree.

* * *

Sakura, who was barely holding onto consciousness, crawled towards her fallen comrade. "Oi, Naruto" she called the boy who refused to open his eyes. That was when her attention turned to the white spear lying away from the boy. "What is that?" she asked and she watched with unsure eyes as a bright light escaped from the weapon.

"That idiot" Takao whispered as he returned to his original form, effectively scaring Sakura. He looked down at the boy and sighed before turning to Sakura.

"G-Get away from him!" Sakura shouted and Takao snorted at her. He watched as she tried to stand, failing to do so.

"I'm a friend of this idiot's. Don't worry" Takao said as he sat down beside Naruto's body. "Besides, I don't think you're in any shape to be worrying about him" he added.

"That doesn't mean I won't" Sakura said. She could see the fondness the tiger had in his eyes whenever he looked at Naruto. "What are you?" she asked.

"A tiger" Takao said and she rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't be focusing on me right now. You should focus on your friend there" he added, nodding his head to Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun" Sakura whispered.

* * *

Sasuke moved out of the way of the oncoming high kick, before stabbing at the man with his kunai. Orochimaru smirked and Sasuke threw some shuriken at him. Without waiting, Sasuke ran off, planning to distance himself from Orochimaru but it was not to be. A punch was what the Uchiha was met with. His body jerked backwards. Orochimaru kneed him in the gut, punched him again and ended his combo with a spinning kick. "How disappointing" the man said as Sasuke remained down. His body battered as well as bruised.

"I'm not finished as yet!" Sasuke shouted and using his ninja wire jumped off the tree they were on. Orochimaru arched his eyebrow as the boy swung around the tree, the wire burrowing into the branch.

"Running again, are we?" Orochimaru asked, in front of him already. Sasuke gritted his teeth, refusing to scream as the man released a barrage of punches on him, finishing off with a brutal upper cut that sent Sasuke rolling to the ground. "Hm, I was expecting more from you, Uchiha Sasuke. I mean even your team mates gave a better fight than this" he said.

"I said I'm not done yet!" Sasuke shouted as the tag he placed at Orochimaru's feet went off. The man was thrown backwards and using that, Sasuke jumped away. He threw some shuriken and kunai towards the man, the ninja wire that they were attached to, glinting.

"This is..." Orochimaru thought as his body was slammed against the tree, the ninja wire digging into his body.

"Sōfūshasan no Tachi" Sasuke said and Orochimaru watched as the boy formed another set of hands seals. "Katon Ryuuka no Jutsu!" Sasuke shouted, watching as the fire engulfed the snake sennin.

* * *

"He did it" Sakura whispered, relief in her voice. Takao frowned and shook his head at her.

"Not quite" Takao said and they watched once the fires withered away, there was no sign of the man.

* * *

"I have to say, I'm more than impressed" Orochimaru spoke, as he had clearly gotten free from the wires that bounded him. Sakura gasped as the man appeared some feet away from Sasuke. "You have the potential to be better than your brother" he added. "Well now, we have fully established that none of you can defeat me, I have an offer for you" Orochimaru said.

"What can you possibly offer me that I would want!?" Sasuke shouted as he held up his kunai defensively.

"Power" Orochimaru said, and he could see how the word had shifted the young Uchiha's world.

"D-don't listen to him!" Sakura shouted but neither Sasuke nor Orochimaru paid her any attention.

"I can offer you power to kill Uchiha Itachi" Orochimaru whispered, suddenly in front of Sasuke.

"G-get a-way from Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screamed but was powerless as Orochimaru smirked at her. The wound on her shoulder pulled and she felt like she was ready to throw up right where she was kneeling.

"What do you say, _Sasuke-kun_?" Orochimaru asked, chuckling as Sakura struggled to get up.

"No" Sasuke spoke and stared straight at him. "I will defeat Itachi on my own and even if I wanted help, you would be the last person I would turn to" he added as Sakura smiled.

"I'll have you eat those words, Sasuke-kun because you WILL come to me. You're like me, you crave power and you love the exhilaration that you get when you tower over others. But more than that, you yearn to be acknowledged by the same person you want to stab in the heart, Uchiha Itachi, your older brother" Orchimaru said, watching as Sasuke was mentally taken back to the night everything changed.

"I said no!" Sasuke shouted, his eyes snapping back open. He didn't even know when they had closed on their own.

"We'll see, Uchiha Sasuke. So for now, here's a little gift" Orochimaru said, his neck extending once more.

"S-Sasuke" Sakura cried out as the sennin bit his neck. "What did you to him!?" she screamed.

"I gave him an opportunity" Orochimaru said watching as Sasuke struggled to stay standing. "If you wish to see me again, then you must get through this exam like your life depended on it" he added as he burnt the scroll in the palm of his hand. Sasuke dropped to the floor, unconscious, his energy already spent. Orochimaru smiled at Takao who growled at him. "I will uncover your secrets, Tora-san, believe me. But for now, I bid you farewell" he added but stopped. "By the way, tell the boy that he fought well" he said to Takao, glancing at Naruto before he disappeared.

* * *

A/N: In the end, Sasuke was bitten. I still don't know if he will head down the path he did in canon, we'll see just have to wait and see.

To Darkjaden: Ohoho, some one knows their anime. Yes, it is something like that of Soul Eater, but it's not exactly the same.

To Ramen Knight: Pfftt, I love it. ANBU (Always Near But Useless). Yeah, they are.

I took all your words in consideration and I'll edit that part in with the foreshadowing of the lax protection, in the future.

And you're right about the Dragon Ball Z feel that Naruto started to get.

In my opinion, I love Kishimoto-sensei, but I felt like he fell short with expanding Naruto's jutsu list in the ending of the manga and anime. For example, the larger rasengan as you mentioned. I don't want to spoil anything, but I totally plan to create or reference more jutsu for Naruto. And he's not the only one.

As for Ko going to Konohamaru, I don't know. Maybe. Don't want to spoil too much.

To KuroKitsune 409: Here you go. More. ^.^


	58. Chapter 54

Chapter fifty four – The power of a cherry blossom

Disclaimer:

* * *

"S-Sasuke-kun!" Sakura screamed. She got to her feet and ran towards him, but didn't get too far. Ten steps into her run; she fell down and onto her face. Dirt caked her face, stones bruised her legs and branches cut into her clothes. The nausea from the shoulder wound was too much and before she knew it, Sakura threw up.

"Oi, you okay over there?" Takao asked, standing on all fours. He was worried for the pink haired human. It seemed like she was entering shock.

"I-I n-need to g-get t-to him" she shivered and Takao looked up at the boy who was knocked out cold.

"What you need is to take care of that wound of yours" Takao said, and hissed as he knew his time was ending. "Listen here, pink one" Takao spoke, the girl who had already got up turned to him. "There's a small blue flower found in this forest, if you crush it up and rub it over the wound, it will help with the pain" he added, already being summoned back home.

"Where can I find this flower?" she shouted and the tiger smirked at her. Before he left in a puff of smoke, he nodded to the side where a tiny blue flower was lying near the root of the trees. "Thank you" she breathed out but the tiger had all but gone already.

* * *

"Damn it Naruto, what the hell do you weigh?" Sakura hissed. She had already deduced that it would be better to stay in the trees and not the ground.

For one it provided the necessary camouflage and it was much safer to remain on an elevated area than on the ground where more predators would lurk.

Therefore Sakura had chosen to throw a kunai with a ninja wire attached to it on the branch Sasuke was lying before she tied Naruto up, using the wire like a pulley to get the blonde up there.

However the task was proving to be daunting and difficult. She already knew that she lost too much blood and it wouldn't be long before she passed out. She had to take care of it but with the way things were going, she didn't know if she would even have the strength to do so. "Come on, Sakura. Now is not the time to give up!" She screamed to herself, the wire severing the palm of her hands as she walked backwards, pulling so the blonde would be transported up onto the branch. Sweat poured through her skin, her muscles blazed. The adrenaline pumping through her veins had provided a temporary anesthesia as she could no longer feel the pain. " **There! Throw the kunai now!"** Inner Sakura shouted and with her bloody hand she threw it, using the kunai to pin Naruto on the branch. " **Good job"** Inner Sakura complimented but Sakura ignored her as she plopped to the ground on her butt.

* * *

"That stupid snake" Sakura hissed as she dabbed the wet cloth on her wound. She had managed to get herself on the branch and using the little water she had in her canteen, she wiped away the blood. "Here it goes" she whispered as she rubbed the now crushed flower on the wound. She nearly bit her tongue as her world exploded in pain.

* * *

Having patched herself up, Sakura turned to her team mates who were still unconscious. She knew she had to get some water to wipe their faces but she couldn't move. If she did, then that would leave her them vulnerable to any enemy attacks. For now she would have to keep watch, until they woke up from whatever that snake had done to them.

* * *

Anko scurried through the forest, one goal in mind: Find Orochimaru and make him pay. When Mawashi had sent for her, she knew that something was wrong, but never in her wildest dreams did she think that it would be so bad. Why was the snake sennin in Konoha and more specifically the Chunin exams? What would he gain out of all of this? She swore under her breath as she felt him. There was no mistaking that foul chakra. "Orochimaru" she gnashed her teeth as she saw him, tucked away in one of trees, ready to escape.

"Ah, Anko. How nice of you to come see me off" Orochimaru said, a smirk on his face. Anko readied herself.

"You're not going anywhere" she said, attacking him with kunai and shuriken. He just smirked, his tongue shooting out of his mouth. "Damn, I forgot about that" she thought as she flew out of its range. However she was not completely safe as his sickly tongue grabbed a hold of one of her hands.

"It's been such awhile since we last saw each other and you're treating me with such a cold shoulder. I taught you better than that, didn't I Anko?" he mocked.

"The only thing you taught me was betrayal" Anko said, before shouting out the name of her jutsu "Sen'eijashu". Snakes seemed to slide out of the sleeves of her trench coat, before they attacked the sennin. Using her strength and the snakes that had wrapped around Orochimaru she pulled him out of the tree. She placed her hand over his and rammed a kunai between them both.

"Even if I have to die, I will kill you" Anko said and Orochimaru just smirked at her statement.

"And what about that cute little student of yours? Won't he be upset?" He asked and her eyes widened. "By the way, awhile ago, I saw him and I have to say, you taught him well" he added.

"What did you do?" Anko asked and when he didn't answer, she shouted "What did you do to him?!"

"Nothing, don't worry. It was his other team mate that I was interested in. I want him" Orochimaru said. And she knew it was the Uchiha he was referring to.

"You'll never have him" Anko said, raising their hands in a seal. "Because you're going to die here with me" she added.

"Trying to commit suicide **again** Anko?" a voice called from behind her. She didn't even have to turn around to see who it was.

"Orochimaru" she whispered as the one she was holding onto was just a mere replacement. He raised his hand and she staggered as the curse seal on her neck throbbed.

"You know, I gave that to someone as a present a while ago" the man said, chuckling at the distraught face his former student showed him.

"The Uchiha boy" She groaned, and he walked up to her slowly. "Why would you give him such a thing? You know he'll die" she added as he stooped down in front of her.

"Indeed, there's a 10% chance at survival but maybe, just maybe he'll survive like you did" Orochimaru said.

"Why the boy?" Anko asked and cringed as he ran a hand on her face before capturing her chin.

"Are you jealous, my pet?" Orochimaru asked and she spat on his face while he chuckled. "Or is it that you're still mad at me for using you and then throwing you away like the trash you are?" he asked as he wiped his face. "Unlike you, he seems like a capable shinobi. He even has potential to become as powerful as I am if given the proper training" he added.

"Powerful?" she laughed and the man's eyes narrowed. "You may know thousands of jutsu even those classified as forbidden" she whispered, defiance lining her irises. "You may be called one of the legendary sennin but when it comes down to it, you're not powerful Orochimaru. You're weak" she spat and the ugly look she was rewarded with made it all the sweeter. "Even your former mentor knew it. That's why you were passed over for the Hokage seat" she laughed and when he wrapped his hand around her neck she didn't stop. "That's...why...you...wish...to...be...immortal...because...you'll...need...a...lifetime...to...shed...that...skin...of...weakness..." she choked out, his fingers cutting his air supply.

"It seems like you've grew a spine" Orochimaru said as he released her. She fell to the ground gasping for air. "You even got me to lose my temper" he added with a chuckle. "It was good seeing you again, Anko. Very good" he said, before leaving.

* * *

She was changing the towels of both Naruto and Sasuke, a worried look on her face. "Sasuke-kun, Naruto" she frowned as their conditions didn't seem to let up. In fact, it got worse, as they both were running fevers.

"Do you need a hand there, little flower?" a voice asked and when she turned around, Orochimaru was what she was met with.

"No!" Sakura screamed as she jerked awake. "Thank goodness" she whispered as she wiped away the sweat from her face and untied the wire she had used to tie herself to the tree. It was just a dream. She looked at her team mates and sighed. "Its dawn already" she muttered as the light from the rising sun broke through the thick coverage of the trees. That meant she would have to gather water and restock her already depleted food supplies. Not to mention, she had to find a way to wake Naruto and Sasuke up.

The thing was however, she had no idea as to what was wrong with them in first place. Getting to her feet, she ran a hand through her hair that was matted with dried dirt. Stretching her arms, she was ready to leave when goose bumps ran down her arms. Running on instinct alone, she got out her kunai and dodged the shuriken that was sent her way. "Oh no" fear edged its way in her voice as three Oto nin dropped down on the same branch she was standing on.

"Hello" Dosu greeted as his team mates smirked. "Do you mind waking up Sasuke-kun for us?" he asked.

* * *

"Lee, slow down" Tenten groused as they ran through the tree tops. Unfortunately for her as soon as dawn had broken, her two other team mates were ready to leave the temporary campsite that they had slept in. She was going to reprimand Lee but before she could, he did stop. They stared down at the clearing below. "What the hell happened here?" she asked.

"A fight" Neji said, his pale eyes surveying the charred remains of one of the trees.

* * *

"What do you want?" Sakura asked as she took a defensive position in front of her team mates who could no longer defend themselves.

"Do you really think you can stop us?" Zaku replied, laughing. "You know that wound on your shoulder looks a little…..painful" he added.

"Why are you here? What do you want from Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked and Dosu chuckled.

"There's no reason for someone like you to know why" Dosu said, the three flying into the air.

"Too bad" Sakura smirked and cut the wire that was next to her. On cue two logs snapped towards the shinobi, her trap had been initiated.

"You're going to have to try harder than that, girlie" Dosu said, placing his hand on the log before blowing a huge hole in the two of them. "Give up the Uchiha" he demanded.

"Never" Sakura said and just as they were going to attack, a green blur appeared from no where.

"Konoha Senpu!" Lee shouted, kicking the genin away. He was glad he had sped up, opting to go ahead of Neji and Tenten. "Sakura-chan, are you okay?" he asked. She nodded, though she was on the verge of tears. "What happened to Naruto-kun?!" he shouted ready to run over to his friend but wasn't even given a chance as the Oto nin had recovered.

"Who are you?" Dosu asked. He had to admit, the boy was good from what he seen so far.

"Rock Lee" he said, the cheery undertone vanquished. "Were you the ones who hurt Naruto-kun and Sakura-chan?" he asked.

"We had no part of that. Yet that is" Zaku said.

"So you are involved" Lee said, taking his stance. "For that, you will pay" he said, taking off his bandages.

"And what are you doing to do, eyebrows?" Dosu asked but Lee didn't answer, instead he rushed towards him, punched him and while the boy was in the air, his bandages wrapped themselves around the Oto nin.

"Omote Renge" he called out as they were propelled downwards, Dosu's head aimed at the ground.

"Shit. That's going to be critical if he does get hit" Zaku thought, jumping to the ground. "I'll just have to use that jutsu" he whispered and pushing air into the ground, cushioning Dosu as he fell to the ground. Immediately sensing that something was wrong, Lee moved away from the boy. "Ara, ara. That was quite dangerous, Dosu" Zaku said to his team mate.

"Indeed" Dosu said, pulling his head out of the dirt. He stood up and dusted his clothes, watching as Lee fell. "Looks like my attack worked" he added, blood leaking out of Lee's left ear.

"Lee-san!" Sakura said, jumping down to assist the boy. She knew she was taking a risk in leaving the two open and unguarded, but she couldn't stay and watch as Lee the boy who helped her defeat the enemies that were after her team mate, got hurt.

"I threw you off balance by shattering your eardrum with my sound" Dosu said to the green clad boy who was clearly confused. "You're not going to be able to move for awhile" he added. He looked up at the branch she left her team mates on and then at Sakura. "Before I take care of that Uchiha brat, I'll kill you first" he said, and before he could get to Sakura, Lee stepped in the way, just to protect her.

"Lee-san!" Sakura rasped out as the boy was forced to block Dosu's arm from the inside.

"You're Naruto-kun's precious friend. I won't let anyone hurt you or him" Lee said, making sure the pink haired girl saw the smile on his face.

* * *

"Naruto and Sasuke are down by the looks of things" Shikamaru commented as they hid in the bushes. After Neji and Tenten had stopped them, they had managed to get away from them only to spot Team seven in trouble. Shikamaru knew how powerful Naruto and his team were, judging from what they did during the first phase of the chunin exams, so for someone to leave them in such a state, he knew they had to be strong. And he was right. "Lee's having trouble with them as well, and now Sakura's the only one who's fighting" he added, turning to Ino whose knees were banging against one another. "Well, Ino what are you going to do?" he asked.

"What do you mean what I am I going to do?" Ino asked, watching Sakura and Lee as they stood up to the Oto nin.

"You and Sakura were once best friends, right?" Shikamaru asked but she knew that the lazy genin knew that already.

 _Ino-chan, come look at these clothes! They're so cute!_ Threatened to send her down memory lane but Ino killed the memory off. That was in the past. Sakura had betrayed her.

"Sometimes, we have to forgive the ones who've hurt us in order to move on" Shikamaru said and Ino looked at her feet.

"But even if I did go out there, I would get beaten!" Ino shrieked in her mind yet as she watched Sakura as she threw her shuriken, she knew it didn't matter.

* * *

"Shit, the air pressure" Sakura said as Zaku raised his hands, deflecting her attack. Wasting no time, the female Oto nin appeared beside Sakura and grabbed a handful of Sakura's hair.

"Stand aside" the girl said looking down on her. "You're no match for us" she added but Sakura just grinned.

"You're underestimating me" Sakura said, and using her kunai she chopped her own hair off. "I no longer need anyone to protect me. I'll do it myself. I'll stand as equals next to my team mates who have always defended me against our enemies. I'll prove to myself and to the world that I have what it takes to become a **shinobi** " Sakura thought, as strands of her hair fell to the ground.

"Don't take me for a fool!" the girl, Kin shouted and stabbed at her, only for Sakura to be replaced with a log. Sakura stood off to the right, a blood pill in her hand.

"I won't let you harm them" Sakura said before gulping it down. "I'll protect them" she whispered as she unsealed her tanto.

"Oh, and what do you plan to do with that?" Kin taunted but Sakura just took her stance. "It's just a basic stance too" she snorted and dashed towards her. Sakura with her tanto in position dodged the girl's punch by pushing her head out of the way but blocked the kunai with her tanto.

"Don't take me lightly" Sakura shouted, going for a thrust at Kin with her tanto after they had broken apart from each other. Kin smirked and dodged the attack, only to be taken off guard when Sakura slammed her right foot on the ground. The earth shook, causing Kin to sway and Sakura used that to her advantage. She jumped into the air and with a downward slash; she managed to cut down Kin. Blood sprayed in Sakura's face as both she and Kin flopped to the ground. "I told you, didn't I?" Sakura panted, using her weight to press down on the other girl, her tanto poised at her neck. "No one will harm Naruto or Sasuke-kun" she affirmed as no one, not even Team Ten could move.

* * *

A/N: SAKURA-CHAN~~!

Is it possible to fangirl over your own work? I mean, Sakura did so well in this chapter. She was awesome here. She adapted, and used the little arsenal (including Kin's overconfidence) she had to defeat the other girl. Such development.


End file.
